He blamed brakes for crash that killed girlfriend. Charges say cocaine, pot in his system

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A man who was allegedly on cocaine when he crashed a minivan into a pickup truck and killed his girlfriend has been charged in the Lakewood woman’s death.

Alvin Hollinquest, 41, was charged Monday with vehicular homicide, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and third-degree driving on a suspended license for the Dec. 16 crash that led to the death of 42-year-old Taryn Knox.

He is set to be arraigned July 9.

Charging papers give this account:

On Dec. 16, Hollinquest went to pick up Knox from work in Spanaway and stopped to buy a beer on the way.

He drank it in his minivan before she got in the vehicle.

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The minivan was traveling north when it began swerving, crossed the center divide and struck a Ford F350 in the 1900 block of 116th Street South.

The pickup truck, which was pulling a backhoe, jack-knifed. That driver was not injured. He said he tried to swerve out of the minivan's way but was unable to.

Deputies who responded to the scene said Hollinquest smelled like alcohol.

They said they found a beer can and bag of meth outside the van.

Knox was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, where she died of her injuries Dec. 23.

Hollinquest told deputies he wasn’t impaired and the minivan’s brakes stopped working as he approached the corner, causing him to lose control.

He said his brakes were recently changed “so he had no idea how they malfunctioned,” records show.

Hollinquest admitted to using cocaine, meth and marijuana but said he hadn’t used any drugs the day of the crash.

Cocaine and marijuana were found in his blood after the wreck, records show.

Cox Media Group