More than a dozen escape injury after casino shuttle hit by alleged drunk driver

Fourteen passengers escaped injury after an alleged drunk driver ran through a red light and struck a shuttle bus that was leaving the Clearwater Casino just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

The State Patrol said the crash occurred when a Bainbridge Island man in a 2003 Subaru Legacy station wagon went through a red light and hit a 2010 Starcraft shuttle bus with 15 people aboard.

The driver of the shuttle, a 61-year-old Poulsbo man, was not injured.

The Bainbridge man driving the Subaru was identified by the Washington State Patrol as Justin M. Perry, 23.

He was not injured in the crash. A passenger in his car, a 24-year-old Bainbridge man, was also not hurt.

The State Patrol said the Bainbridge driver was heading south on Highway 305 and approaching Suquamish Way when the shuttle bus was leaving the Clearwater Casino and going north on Suquamish Way NE at the intersection to the casino.

The shuttle had a green turn light to exit the casino onto northbound Highway 305 and had pulled out when it was struck by the other vehicle.

The State Patrol said the southbound lane of Highway 305 and the left turn lane from the casino were blocked for 90 minutes following the crash.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene; the Subaru was impounded by Gateway Towing.

The passengers aboard the shuttle ranged from age from 30 to 71.

Ten of them were from Bremerton, two from Tacoma, one from Port Orchard, and one was from Marysville, according to the State Patrol.

The shuttle bus was not equipped with seat belts.

The Bainbridge man was charged with driving under the influence.