PORT ANGELES — A man who was partially ejected from a car after crashing into the Port Angeles McDonald’s early Saturday has been upgraded to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center.
Darrnell Ademi Noble, 29, who has a California driver’s license, was listed in critical condition after the rollover crash that occurred at about 12:43 a.m., Port Angeles Police Cpl. Bruce Fernie said.
He was in serious condition in Harborview’s intensive care unit Monday, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
Police were investigating the crash as a possible DUI, Fernie said.
Witnesses told police that Noble was traveling westbound in a Honda Civic at speeds of about 60 mph when he failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into the east side of the building at 1706 E. Front St. The posted speed limit in the area is 35 mph.
Officers found Noble partially ejected with his legs trapped inside the crushed car, Fernie said.
The badly damaged vehicle came to a rest in an outdoor eating area with its horn stuck on, Officer Sean Ryan wrote in the case report.
“I don’t recall any part of the vehicle that was not damaged,” Ryan said.
“I did not even recognize the vehicle as a Honda Civic until I was able to find the name badge on the back of the car.”
Several good Samaritans and a McDonald’s employee were providing aid to Noble when officers arrived, police said.
Noble sustained multiple broken bones and internal injuries in the crash, Ryan said.
A light pole in the McDonald’s parking lot was knocked over and the picnic area were the car landed was destroyed, Ryan said.
Skid marks led from the crash scene to the curve where U.S. Highway 101 becomes East Front Street, according to police.
Noble initially denied that he had been driving the car, Ryan said.
“Based on the damage to the vehicle and the carnage of the scene, I was surprised that Darrnell was alive and found it difficult to believe that anyone else had been in the car and had somehow been able to flee the scene,” Ryan wrote in his report.
Noble later admitted that he was the driver and there were no other occupants in the vehicle, Ryan said.
Officers said they could smell the odor of intoxicants on Noble’s breath and obtained a search warrant for a sample of his blood.
Two vials of Noble’s blood and the deployed driver’s side airbag were sent to a State Patrol crime lab for analysis.
“Darrnell stated that he was coming from a friend’s house and that he had consumed ‘a couple’ of alcoholic beverages that evening,” Officer Jared Tait wrote in a supplemental case report.
No charge had been filed in connection with the crash as of Monday.
Noble was transported to Olympic Medical Center before he was airlifted to Harborview.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
