The 50-year-old man arrested at the scene of Monday’s multiple casualty incident at NE 75th Street and 33rd Avenue NE was booked into King County Jail that night on investigation of vehicular homicide.
Police speak with the driver of the pickup involved in a fatal vehicle-pedestrian accident near Eckstein Middle School in North Seattle on Monday. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times)
The suspect, driving a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck westbound on NE 75th Street, allegedly struck four pedestrians as they crossed the arterial at 33rd Avenue NE just after 4 PM. Two were pronounced dead at the scene by Seattle Fire Department staff. The other two were transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
The busy arterial was closed between 31st and 35th Avenues NE for hours while the Seattle Police Department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives processed the scene.
King County Jail records show that the suspect was previously booked into jail on December 27, 2012 for a DUI-related charge. He was released on January 7, 2013. Then, on January 14, he was charged with Driving Under the Influence in Snohomish County. He was released on $10,000 bail.
Other news outlets have released the suspect’s name, but is Ravenna Blog policy to not name suspects until they have been formally charged with a crime.
The bail hearing for the suspect is scheduled for 2:30 PM today in the King County Jail’s Courtroom 1. We will add information about that hearing here, when it comes in.
UPDATE (2:45 PM): Seattle P-I reporter Casey McNerthney is in the courtroom for the bail hearing, reporting that he suspect has waived his right to appear.
Bail is set at $2.5 million. KOMO reporting that the prosecution was asking for $2 million.
UPDATE (3:15 PM): More information from the bail hearing.
Prosecutors said the suspect was driving with a suspended license, and his blood alcohol level was measured as 0.22 after the incident. The legal limit in Washington state is 0.08.
It is possible to continue to drive in Washington state with a suspended license, if the person gets a restricted license called an Ignition Interlock Driver License (IIL). A device is installed in the driver’s vehicle that requires a breath test before the vehicle will start. It can also require additional “rolling retests” while the vehicle is being driven.
The suspect did not have this device installed in his truck.
Here’s McNerthney’s full story on the incident and the suspect.
UPDATE (Wednesday, March 27): The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s website says, “A second court appearance is scheduled [at the bail hearing on Tuesday] for March 28, which is also the deadline for a charging decision.” The Daily Docket goes on to say that the Court has found probable cause to charge the suspect with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.
UPDATE (Sunday, March 31): On Thursday, March 28, Mark W. Mullan was formally charged with two counts of Vehicular Homicide and two counts of Vehicular Assault (all felonies). Mullan is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, April 11, at the King County Courthouse, Courtroom 1201.
We will have a full post on the suspect and these charges later in the week (first week of April).
UPDATE (Tuesday, April 9): Our post with the details of the incident is now up, here.
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More on this story on Ravenna Blog:
Memorial service in Indiana for Judy and Dennis Schulte (last updated on Thursday, April 11)
Arraignment of NE 75th Street DUI homicides suspect on Thursday (last updated on Thursday, April 11)
Timeout to say THANK YOU, on behalf of the Schulte family (last updated on Sunday, April 7)
Hundreds walk to remember, honor the Schulte family (PHOTOS) (last updated on Monday, April 1)
Prayer Vigil for mother and child this Thursday night (PHOTOS) (last updated on Friday, March 29)
Memorial to the family at NE 75th St grows (PHOTOS) (last updated on Sunday, March 31)
Memorial and medical funds set up for victims of Monday’s traffic tragedy (last updated on Thursday, March 28)
Multiple casualty incident on NE 75th St near Eckstein Middle School (PHOTOS) (last updated on Wednesday, March 27)
It seems like it might be a gray area since he’s basically covering his face, but it seems like posting a picture of the driver is not far off from naming him.
I’m okay with a little gray, which is why I asked the Seattle Times for permission to use the picture. But the shots with, say, the body bags in full view…I don’t think my viewers would be expecting or wanting to see that. That was my thought process involving the photo.
As for the amount of his face showing, it’s along the same lines as what the media is allowed to photograph if requested to not show a suspect’s face (as we were asked at the arraignment hearing for Robin McDougall-Treacy).
Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realize that first picture on the seattle times page were the bodies under that white mound. I didn’t even think or notice it. Now that I do, I feel sick all over again. I can’t believe they would put that picture up without cropping it.
I’m having a hard time seeing what possible value there is to posting this information (his personal phone numbers and email) be? I’m angry too, but come on. This is in the hands of our judicial system, as it should be.
This post should be deleted.
I agree. I have removed the comment.
Many thanks!
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