Trooper's DUI Case: Bar Resistance and Missing Records in Fatal Crash Investigation

Fatal DUI Crash and Initial Investigation

• 🚗 A Washington State Patrol trooper, Sarah Clayson, faces vehicular homicide charges after a crash that killed 20-year-old motorcyclist Jhoser Sanchez.
• 🩸 Clayson allegedly had a blood alcohol content of .175%, more than double the legal limit, and refused initial sobriety tests.
• 🚨 The investigation into her alleged drinking timeline led detectives to a local bar, the Moon Palace.

Resistance at the Moon Palace Bar

• 🕵️ Detectives arrived at the Moon Palace with a search warrant to investigate Clayson's alleged drinking activities.
• 🚫 The bar manager initially met detectives with resistance, claiming he did not keep customer records and downplaying Clayson's presence.
• 🏛️ Detectives presented a search warrant, leading to the manager calling his attorney and reluctantly cooperating.

Discrepancies in Bar Records

• 🧾 The manager provided a small stack of receipts, showing only two transactions for March 1st, the night of the crash.
• ❓ This number seemed suspiciously low for a busy bar, contradicting the manager's claim of no detailed records.
• 📦 Detectives discovered boxes of receipts from other dates, indicating the bar did, in fact, keep sales records.

Conflicting Employee Statements

• 🗣️ A staff member, Marian Stackleal, stated that every drink is documented on a ticket unless paid for immediately in cash.
• 👥 She confirmed that Clayson and her group were regulars and that documentation should exist for their orders.
• 🧐 The employee's account directly conflicted with the manager's assertions about record-keeping.

Escalation and Amended Warrant

• 📝 Detectives suspected intentional destruction or hiding of evidence due to the lack of March 1st receipts and the manager's resistance.
• ⚖️ A detective called a judge to amend the search warrant to include a broader date range (December 1st to March 1st) based on the new findings.
• 🔍 The investigation continues as prosecutors work to establish Clayson's timeline and the bar's role in potentially obstructing the investigation.