DUI suspect hits pregnant Tri-Cities woman with car after she refused a ride

A drunk driver allegedly hit a pregnant pedestrian on the sidewalk of Highway 397 in Kennewick after she refused to get into his SUV, according to court documents.

Francisco J. Barajas Hernandez, 26, reportedly asked the 26-year-old woman twice whether she needed a ride about 2:15 a.m. Sunday — first on Columbia Drive and then on Highway 397.

After the woman turned him down twice, he allegedly turned around the SUV and drove at her, knocking her down a rocky embankment and leaving her with scrapes and abrasions, court documents said.

He then drove away into Kennewick where he was arrested shortly after. A breath test at the hospital allegedly showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.13 percent. The legal limit for alcohol is 0.08.

Barajas Hernandez appeared by video from the Benton County jail on Monday afternoon. He is being held on suspicion of second-degree assault, failing to help an injured person and DUI.

Deputy Prosecutor Anita Petra asked for him to be held in lieu of $50,000 bail. She also asked that if he was released he needed to have constant alcohol monitoring and not have any contact with the woman he allegedly tried to hit.

Defense attorney Michelle Alexander reserved arguments about the bail.

Judge Joe Burrowes agreed to the conditions.

Barajas Hernandez has told investigators that he didn’t know the woman or what happened, court documents said.

Ride offer

The victim told investigators that she was walking on Columbia Drive when a man in a “green” SUV approached her and asked if she needed a ride.

The woman, who is about eight months pregnant, continued walking north on Highway 397 toward the cable bridge when the SUV approached her again, court documents said.

After turning him down a second time, he turned the SUV around and drove straight at her. The SUV hit her and forced her down a rocky embankment.

She told investigators her head and neck were sore and she had scrapes on her left leg, court documents said. She was treated at Trios Southridge Hospital.

The SUV continued south on Highway 397 and Kennewick police quickly found a matching silver Toyota being driven by a man matching descriptions given by the victim and a witness, police said.

WSP Detective Ryan Sauve wrote that Barajas Hernandez smelled like gasoline and was crying when he first saw him. He denied drinking.

After he was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital, he told another trooper that he had two beers before getting behind the wheel.

After his evaluation at the hospital, Barajas Hernandez told investigators that he did not know what happened and didn’t know the woman.