Spokane Valley, WA – A suspected impaired driver was arrested late Sunday after deputies say he crashed into a parked car, sparking a fire in Spokane Valley.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 11:55 p.m. on September 28, 2025, to reports of a Subaru that had struck an unoccupied vehicle and caught fire. Witnesses told deputies that the driver, identified as 51-year-old Miguel A. Rivera Martinez, had exited the burning vehicle.
Deputies noted Rivera Martinez’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, his speech was slurred, and there was a strong odor of intoxicants, according to the report. Spokane Valley Fire crews arrived on scene, extinguished the fire, and offered medical aid, which Rivera Martinez declined.
Investigators said they later developed probable cause to arrest Rivera Martinez for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Records showed he had a prior DUI arrest in Idaho in December 2024.
A breath test indicated a blood alcohol content of .180/.179, more than twice the legal limit, authorities said. Rivera Martinez was booked into the Spokane County Jail on DUI charges.
No injuries were reported in the incident, though both vehicles sustained significant damage.
