A woman has been charged with vehicular homicide following the June 30 crash on A Street SE and 17th Street SE in Auburn that resulted in the death of a 64-year-old woman.
On Aug. 1, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Maria Cassandra Rojas, 28, of Auburn, with vehicular homicide. According to charging documents, this charge stems from a June 30 crash where Rojas was going over 20 mph above the speed limit, ran a red light and crashed into Jean A. McLaughlin, 64, causing her death.
According to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, McLaughlin’s manner of death was an accident, and her cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. According to charging documents, McLaughlin died at the scene of the crash.
Rojas’ next court hearing is an arraignment scheduled for Aug. 14.
Details of the incident
At about 12:22 p.m. June 30, there was a report that two vehicles had crashed, and one of the subjects had been ejected and was lying on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. The person who called in the crash said they believed the person on the ground was possibly deceased, documents state.
The person on the ground was later identified as McLaughlin. Documents state that a preliminary investigation revealed that a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe, registered to Rojas, was driving north on A Street SE and collided with a 2010 Kia Soul.
According to documents, when officers spoke with Rojas, they did not detect an odor of intoxicants and no alcohol or drug containers were located. Documents state that Rojas was able to quickly and correctly answer questions, and her eyes were not bloodshot or watery. No probable cause for impairment was found, and following the crash, Rojas was sent to the hospital for further treatment, but she was found not to have suffered any injuries, documents state.
Multiple witnesses reported that the Chevrolet was traveling north on A Street SE at a high rate of speed when it collided with the Kia. Witnesses reported that the Kia had a green light and the Chevrolet had a red light.
“Several witnesses noted her speeding before she failed to stop or slow for a solid red light. Collision reconstruction would later confirm she was speeding and then accelerated full throttle as she ran the red light at speeds over 60 mph,” prosecutor Amy Freedheim wrote in documents. “A van successfully turned left with the green light, and a Kia behind the van began its left turn. The defendant slammed into the Kia. The violence of the collision caused both cars to come to uncontrolled stops.”
Documents state that an officer reviewed traffic camera video of the collision and determined that the Chevrolet had a red light for at least 7.67 seconds before the impact. Rojas was determined to be the driver and the sole occupant of the Chevrolet during the collision.
According to documents, the speed limit on A Street SE was 40 mph. Crash data from the Chevrolet revealed that at the time of the collision, that car was traveling at 64.5 mph.
According to documents, based on Rojas’ driving the vehicle at a high rate of speed and disregarding a red traffic light, it’s believed she was operating a vehicle in a reckless manner that showed a disregard for the safety of persons and property. Based on the investigation, officers believed that Rojas committed the crime of vehicular homicide.
