Guilty Plea in Seattle Vehicular Homicide Case |Washington Wrongful Death

As I have said before, I firmly believe that the sentence for vehicular homicide, especially if it is related to drugs or alcohol, should be equivalent to that of second degree murder. As a Bellevue personal injury attorney, I have dealt with cases where a drunk driver has changed the lives of a victim’s loved ones in an instant. Currently, the penalties for driving drunk and taking a life are far too lenient.

A Seattle woman pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and hit and run on Thursday afternoon. Shavelle Lewis, who was driving with a suspended license, swerved across five lanes of traffic on I-5 and hit William Padilla, 51, a tow truck driver who was kneeling next to a disabled vehicle on the entrance ramp from Spokane Street. After hitting Padilla, Lewis did a U-turn and drove away. Padilla died at the scene. When she was found nearby, she smelled of alcohol and had watery bloodshot eyes. Lewis has been sought for 14 arrest warrants since 2008, including previous convictions for prostitution, hit and run, and drug crimes. Two days before the accident, Lewis was arrested on warrants and she was released from custody just a day before the crash. Lewis, 21, faces a sentence ranging from 41 to 54 months in prison.

Lewis’ choice to drive drunk resulted in the loss of life and changed the lives of Padilla’s loved ones forever. It is hard for me to believe that the maximum sentence she will receive is only a little over four years in prison. Considering her prior convictions and arrests, the penalty in this case should have been much larger.

Recently, new laws have been passed to make the penalties for drunk driving more severe. In addition to other bills, House Bill 1789, which makes drunk driving a felony, is well on its way to becoming law in Washington state. However, the penalties for vehicular homicide need to be more serious, especially when alcohol is involved. Those who choose to drive drunk and kill someone should have their license revoked and should face life in prison. Drunk driving has claimed far too many lives in Washington and it is time to start taking drunk drivers off the streets of Seattle for good.

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.

This information is provided by Straight Talk Law, where you can order free information on Everett car accidents, Washington auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Seattle personal injury attorney Jason Epstein and his Seattle car accident, Renton motorcycle accident, and Bellingham wrongful death law firm in Seattle, Washington.