Lisa Olsen spoke at a political function in 2024.

The Pacific County commissioner entangled in a DUI scandal since winning reelection has reached a plea agreement to end her case in Pacific County North District Court.

Lisa Olsen, 62, of South Bend, was accused of crashing her 2019 Toyota Camry into a ditch around milepost 11 on State Route 6 at about 9:26 p.m. on election night Nov. 5, 2024.

According to court records, responders found an intoxicated Olsen having difficulty standing. Responders said that at one point she was on all fours on the ground and initially was “uncooperative.”

At the scene, Olsen gave a preliminary breathalyzer test of .189% and later provided additional samples of .163%, .167%, and .165% at the Pacific County Courthouse — more than double the 0.08% legal limit.

Due to multiple conflicts of interest by Pacific County personnel, Wahkiakum County Prosecutor Daniel H. Bigelow prosecuted the case, and Grays Harbor Municipal Judge David Hatch presided.

Olsen appeared for a hearing in district court on March 18, during which her attorney presented a mutually agreed-upon order for a deferred prosecution.

In Washington state, a citizen is eligible for one deferred prosecution in their lifetime, and it’s fairly common in first-time DUI cases. Deferment means the charge is dismissed if the defendant completes all stipulations, including treatment and probation. (Beginning in 2026, citizens will be eligible for a second deferred prosecution following new legislation passed in Olympia.)

“A deferred prosecution is open to any individual who is evaluated and determined to have a condition, be it substance abuse or a mental health diagnosis, that ultimately led to what occurred,” Olsen’s attorney Nathan Needham stated. “The individual then must also believe that if they don’t seek help for this, they will likely have more issues with the law. So, in fact, it takes someone with tremendous courage to petition the court for a deferred prosecution.”

Olsen will have five years of probation and must undergo a treatment regimen to avoid reoffense.

The deal comes at a tense time, with a recall effort being waged against Olsen over her and fellow commissioners Jerry Doyle and David Tobin’s decision to remove management of the Pacific County Jail from the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office following two in-custody deaths.

Individuals who have dubbed themselves the “Recall Rangers” have submitted a formal complaint, the first step in the recall process. It is making its way to a superior court judge for formal determination. The group needs more than 3,000 signatures to put the recall on an official ballot.

Olsen, a Republican, was unopposed for reelection to represent the county district stretching from Seaview and Ilwaco east to Naselle and north to Bay Center and South Bend, receiving 9,476 votes, 66% of the county’s total turnout.