Soon-to-Be High School Graduate Killed in Drunk Driving Accident | Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

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As a Seattle personal injury lawyer and the founder of Teens Against Distracted Driving, I have seen some truly horrific Washington car accidents. However, very few of those accidents were as tragic as the one that happened last night.

On Wednesday, a 17-year-old student was killed in a drunk driving accident. The victim, Derek King, was only days away from his high school graduation.

The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Interstate 5 near the Southcenter Mall.

King’s 19-year-old friend was driving the Honda Civic when it was rear-ended by a Ford Explorer. Unfortunately, the impact smashed the back of the vehicle, tragically killing Derek King.

Another 18-year-old passenger in the Civic suffered critical injuries and was taken to Harborview Medical Center. The 50-year-old driver of the Ford Explorer was also transported to Harborview Medical Center.

Investigators believe the driver of the Explorer was intoxicated at the time of the accident. He is being investigated for vehicular homicide and has been booked in jail.

We are very sorry to learn of this very tragic loss. Derek King would have turned 18 on Thursday. And, his graduation from Decatur High School was scheduled this Saturday.

We can imagine the terrible shock and grief this news has caused Derek’s friends and family. We will keep them in our thoughts during this difficult time.

It is always difficult to learn of lives lost in auto accidents. The last thing you want to worry about in these situations is legal issues. In an attempt to provide you with much deserved help and assistance, I have co-authored a book with attorney Patrick J. Kang which is a guide for families of Washington wrongful death victims. The book is called, In Case of Death: Straight Talk on Washington Wrongful Death, and is available at no charge to Washington residents by clicking on the preceding link.