CAPTURED: Suspect in hit and run arrested for Reckless Endangerment after troopers learn her 10 year old daughter was in the car

CAPTURED -- May 9, 2020
Washington State Patrol Troopers arrested the suspect on Saturday who was wanted in a hit and run on U.S. 2 on the trestle heading into Everett.


The 29-year-old woman was booked into the Snohomish County jail for Hit and Run Attended and Reckless Endangerment.  Troopers say her 10 year old daughter was in the car when she sideswiped Martin Lerch's BMW on U.S. 2 on the trestle heading into Everett and then sped away.

Troopers say she was identified thanks to a Washington’s Most Wanted viewer tip to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.

As investigators were following up to try to locate her, the suspect called Trooper Heather Axtman after hearing about the story that aired on Washington’s Most Wanted.

She said wanted to give her side of the story.  She said she got scared and fled the scene because she had no car insurance and the 'other driver wasn't being nice."   Troopers went to speak with her and took her into custody.

Washington’s Most Wanted is not naming the suspect per our policy until prosecutors file formal charges in the case.

She is Washington’s Most Wanted Capture #1155 thanks to Crime Stoppers tips from Washington’s Most Wanted viewers.


WANTED BY WSP IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY --
‘Slow down, please and if you do get into an accident, don’t leave the scene:’ That`s the message from law enforcement after drivers are speeding on emptier-than-usual roads and causing crashes.

In one case, a driver’s dash-cam video shows a speeding white Acura TL sideswipe a BMW on Highway 2, on the trestle heading into Everett. The driver in a car with no license plates pumped the brakes and then took off, reaching dangerous speeds.

Now, Washington State Patrol troopers are asking for the public`s help to identify the female hit and run driver, after she eventually pulled over, got out of her vehicle, approached the victim`s car, looked at the damage to her Acura and then jumped back in her car and took off again.

The victim`s in-car camera was able to get a pretty good look at the face of the woman who did $11,000 worth of damage to his BMW. “Went up over this panel. It skipped this part, but hit it really hard in this area here and in the front,” said Martin Lerch. He had just got his BMW back from the body shop after a speeding driver hit him on April 5th. “As she passed me, she basically sideswiped me on the side, came in front of me, stepped on the brakes briefly. I figured we would be pulling over, but she continued to step on the gas, drove away,” said Lerch.

Martin followed her as she hit dangerous speeds and then took the exit into Everett. She got out, approached his car and he says she tried to lay the blame on a dark-colored BMW that you see on Martin`s dash cam passing him before he was hit. “She said, ‘He cut me off’ and I said, ‘Wait a second, you guys were racing down the freeway and you hit me as you passed me.’” His dash cam shows her reaction when she sees all the damage to her Acura.

“They were able to talk briefly and when the victim told the driver of the Acura that he had dash cam video of this crash, the driver of the Acura fled the scene at this point,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Heather Axtman. She says accidents are going to happen, even now, when there is less traffic, but leaving the scene is a crime. “We are hoping that with the picture of this car and with the dash cam video that he was able to get of the driver, that somebody will know who she is, so that we can simply go talk to her and get her side of the story,” said Trooper Axtman.

Fortunately, Lerch wasn`t injured and while he did have to pay his insurance premium to get his car fixed, he`s more worried that someone could have gotten seriously hurt, or even killed. “This young lady had another passenger in the car, either her younger sister, or her daughter who was in the front passenger seat, who actually opened the door and apologized to me. If you do something dumb, just own up to it. Stop and let your insurance take care of it,” said Lerch.

If you recognize the hit and run driver, or her white Acura, please submit an anonymous tip to Crime stoppers of Puget Sound through the P3 Tips app on your cell phone, or call 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).