A 74-year-old man from Seattle is in custody following a fatal hit-and-run incident in Skyway that left a woman dead after she was pinned beneath a truck struck during a multi-vehicle collision.
The incident occurred on the night of July 24 in the 11000 block of 68th Avenue South. According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, Daniel R. Hayes was driving a recently purchased motorhome when he allegedly hit several parked vehicles, triggering a chain reaction that resulted in one of the trucks striking a pedestrian.
The victim, identified as Susana Garcia-Perez, became trapped under the vehicle. First responders used emergency equipment to lift the truck, but despite efforts by medics on scene, Garcia-Perez was pronounced dead.
Witnesses reported that the motorhome continued down the street, striking additional vehicles before leaving the area. Surveillance footage obtained from a nearby Grocery Outlet confirmed the RV’s movements prior to and during the crash.
An employee at the store told investigators that a man matching Hayes’ description had been inside the RV earlier in the evening, requesting more beer and appearing disoriented. The employee said Hayes then moved the RV to a different part of the lot before leaving.
Deputies later spoke with Hayes’ wife, who said she believed her husband had been driving the motorhome and suspected he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Hayes was located and arrested the following day by state troopers near North Bend, still operating the damaged RV. He initially denied causing the crash, but after being shown surveillance images, he admitted to purchasing and drinking six beers that night. He told troopers he had no memory of the collision and appeared distraught when informed that a woman had died.
Investigators confirmed that debris collected from the various crash sites visually matched the damage on Hayes’ vehicle.
During a court appearance on Saturday, a judge found probable cause for vehicular homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death, and reckless driving. Hayes is currently being held on $250,000 bail. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office expects to receive a full case referral from the Sheriff’s Office by Wednesday to determine formal charges.
