Deceased identified as 51-year-old Michael Banta, a resident of Battle Ground
BATTLE GROUND — A Battle Ground man was struck and later died in a collision near Battle Ground Monday night.
On Monday at 9:22 p.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies and EMS personnel responded to a collision in the 18200 block of NE 72nd Avenue involving a vehicle and a pedestrian. Upon arrival, EMS personnel contacted and evaluated a male pedestrian lying in the roadway with obvious injuries. The driver and a passenger in the involved vehicle were contacted and were physically uninjured. They remained on-scene until CCSO traffic detectives arrived. Scene evidence and statements made by the driver and passenger indicated that the pedestrian was in the southbound travel lane of NE 72nd Avenue when he was struck.
The pedestrian was transported to the hospital with critical injuries and later died at the hospital as a result of the collision. The pedestrian was identified as Michael D. Banta, age 51. Banta was a resident of the Battle Ground area. The driver of the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV was identified as Cheng H. Lee, age 56 of Vancouver. Lee was cooperative with the investigators on scene.
No signs of impairment on the part of Lee were detected, and the collision remains under investigation by the CCSO Traffic Unit. The roadway in the area of the collision is a 50 mph two-lane roadway with paved shoulders. At this time, it is not known why Banta was in the roadway.
Information provided by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
