Family mourns mom of 3 hit, killed by alleged drunk forklift driver in Seattle
SEATTLE - A family is demanding justice for their loved one after a woman was killed in a supposed DUI crash involving a forklift.
Seattle Fire Department responded to the intersection of Aurora Ave. N and N. 96th St. in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood around 3:27 p.m. on Feb. 7 for reports of a crash.
According to Seattle Police, a man driving a forklift got onto Aurora Avenue and kept driving until it crashed into an SUV. That SUV, in turn, crashed into a landscape truck.
The two people in the SUV had to be cut out of the vehicle.
"An accident like that, that was shocking to me, because like, a forklift in the middle of the road knocked over, that’s insane," said Roxy Savchuk, who witnessed the scene at the crash. "I feel you know, sadness and a lot of pain for the family that’s going through this right now. It’s crazy something like that can even happen randomly."
The occupants of the SUV and the landscape truck driver were all taken to the hospital.
27-year-old Jessica Valdez, a mother of three, later died from her injuries at the hospital.
Valdez’s family said they are devastated and heartbroken by what happened.
"We talked every night. I’m going to miss her phone calls," said Chayan Trujillo, Valdez’s niece.
Valdez’s family says tomorrow, Feb. 10, would have been her birthday. Instead of a celebration, they are now planning a funeral.
"It’s just hard to get your mind wrapped around that she’s not here anymore," said Denika Trujillo, Valdez’s sister.
Her family has set up a GoFundMe for funeral expenses and to help her three children.
The person operating the forklift was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 9 and waived his right to appear.
Officers conducted a field sobriety test on the forklift at the time of the crash, and according to court documents, he had a blood alcohol level of 0.203, which is more than two and a half times the legal limit.
He is being held for probable cause of vehicular homicide and DUI with bail set at $300,000.