Clarkston man arrested on DUI, eluding charges

A Clarkston man who was previously sent to prison for vehicular homicide a quarter-century ago was arrested Friday morning for felony DUI and felony eluding after refusing to yield to police in Lewiston and Clarkston.

Scott A. Otto, 58, was booked into the Asotin County jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Lewiston police tried to stop a white van at Third and D street shortly before midnight but the driver allegedly refused to pull over and proceeded across the Interstate Bridge where he allegedly refused to stop for police in Clarkston. Officers there followed him closely and obtained a license plate number that was registered to Otto. They broke off the pursuit after Otto, traveling at speeds of 35 to 50 miles per hour, allegedly failed to stop at multiple red lights.

Instead, police drove to Otto’s home on the 1300 block of Fifth Street where they saw him running down the street and took him into custody following a short foot pursuit. According to the probable cause affidavit, police smelled “intoxicant” on Otto and he had an “over 21” wristband.

Police obtained a warrant for a blood sample after Otto refused to take a field sobriety test or constant to a breathalyzer test. At a hearing Friday morning, Judge Thomas Cox from Garfield County set his bond at $10,000. Otto was initially to be seen by Judge Tina Kernan but asked for a new judge. His next hearing is Nov. 6.

Otto was convicted of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in 1997 following the death of 17-year-old Devon Dickinson, of Clarkston. He was initially sentenced to life in prison. The Washington Court of Appeals ruled in his favor following an appeal in 1999 and he was given a new seven-year sentence and released in 2002.

In March, Otto was arrested and charged with a gross misdemeanor in Clarkston for allegedly driving under the influence. He reportedly told officers he had been drinking but he wasn’t over the limit. But breath samples indicated he was at 0.15, well over the 0.08 threshold, according to court documents. That case was later dismissed.