A 38-year-old Port Orchard man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he crashed his SUV into a ditch, struck neighborhood property, and fled the scene to seek medical treatment early Tuesday morning.
According to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 3700 block of Jackson Avenue SE in unincorporated Port Orchard at approximately 2:30 a.m. on May 19.
Upon arrival, they discovered an unoccupied SUV stuck in a ditch with visible damage and deployed airbags.
Investigators at the scene reported that evidence indicated the vehicle had crossed the center line, dislodged a manhole cover, and struck both a street sign and a backyard fence belonging to two nearby homes before coming to a stop.
Roughly 50 minutes after the initial response, deputies located the suspected driver at a nearby urgent care clinic, where he was receiving treatment for crash-related injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office stated that the man exhibited signs of impairment and admitted to deputies that he had been drinking at a bowling alley prior to the collision.
After the suspect refused a portable breathalyzer test, deputies obtained a warrant to conduct a blood draw.
A subsequent records check by law enforcement revealed that the man was driving with a suspended license and has a prior arrest from 2024 for DUI and hit-and-run.
While the Sheriff’s Office did not initially name the suspect in their public statement, Kitsap County Jail records show that 38-year-old Lemanue Perez Morales was booked on Tuesday, May 19, by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the incident.
According to the booking roster, Morales is being held on suspicion of the following charges:
- Driving Under the Influence (Gross Misdemeanor)
- Hit-and-Run of an Unattended Vehicle (Misdemeanor)
- Driving with a Suspended or Revoked License in the Second Degree (Gross Misdemeanor)
Jail records indicate a $10,000 bond was requested for the suspended license charge. Morales is scheduled for a court appearance later today.
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