SW Wash. man charged in beach hit-and-run that killed 2

(Update: Victims, suspect identified)

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) – Authorities have identified the two German tourists who were killed when a vehicle crashed through a fence and struck them at a southwest Washington swimming hole. A Washougal man arrested in the case appeared in court Wednesday.

Washougal police say the people killed Tuesday afternoon were Rudolf Hohstadt, 61, and Regina Hohstadt, 62. The Hohstadts were visiting family in the Portland area, and authorities say they had been in the United States for a few days. It wasn’t immediately clear where in Germany they were from.

Police arrested a suspect late Tuesday night. The Columbian newspaper reports David E. Croswell, 71, of Washougal, was booked and appeared in court Wednesday morning on two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of intoxicants and two counts of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. He was pushed into court in a restraint chair, wearing an oxygen mask.

Authorities say the victims were lying on the ground at Sandy Swimming Hole Park in Washougal near Portland when a Jeep Grand Cherokee drove through a chain link fence and struck them shortly before 5 p.m.

Police said both people died at the hospital. They said witnesses told them the Jeep driver never slowed down as it left the park.