Police affidavit: Driver of car in crash that killed Sharon Schuman had 0.23% blood alcohol content

The driver of the Toyota RAV4 that jumped a curb and killed Sharon Schuman as she was running on the Amazon Trail last month had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.23% shortly after the crash, according to a warrant filed in Lane County. 

The legal limit in Oregon is 0.08%.

In an affidavit supporting a warrant seeking three vials of Scott Stolarczyk’s blood for the police investigation, Ryan Trullinger, the Eugene Police Department officer seeking the warrant, wrote he had probable cause to believe Stolarczyk was driving under the influence of intoxicants. 

According to the affidavit, Stolarczyk’s blood was drawn at RiverBend Hospital at 10:26 a.m. — about 45 minutes after the crash — and showed an ethanol level of 0.234%.

Lookout Eugene-Springfield attempted to reach Stolarczyk. A woman who identified herself as Stolarczyk’s wife answered the phone and said she would pass along the message. 

The crash occurred about 9:45 a.m., April 23.

According to the affidavit:

Stolarczyk’s vehicle was traveling north on the Amazon Parkway, crossed over several feet of grass, and flipped onto its passenger side on the east side of the bark chip running trail.

A witness told police he was driving behind the RAV4 and saw the car drive over the curb, continue accelerating off the road, and go airborne, hitting Schuman. 

Stolarczyk was bleeding heavily from his face and told police he had had two 12-ounce cans of apple cider the night before the crash, one at about 10 p.m. and one when he woke up at 2:30 a.m. and had insomnia. 

A companion with Stolarczyk at the hospital told the police officer that Stolarczyk has had ongoing health issues since COVID. Stolarczyk told the police officer he experiences heavy coughing spells.

Stolarczyk “described that basically he blacks out for a short amount of time if he had a really strong coughing attack. Stolarczyk thinks this is what happened and that he blacked out in the car and momentarily lost control.” 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a person with a blood alcohol level of 0.15% to 0.30% might experience “confusion, vomiting and drowsiness.” The number of drinks it would require to get someone to a 0.234% BAC depends on their weight, metabolism, and how quickly they consumed those drinks.  

No charges have yet been filed. 

Schuman, 79, was a popular professor and violinist in the area and was one of the founders of Chamber Music Amici. She had planned to play her final concert as a professional violinist in June.