TACOMA, WA - Today Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Amber Mae Smithlin with three counts of vehicular homicide. Investigators say Smithlin was under the influence of alcohol when she ran a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle, killing three occupants and injuring a fourth. Smithlin’s five-year-old son who was in the car at the time of the crash is now in the custody of Child Protective Services.
"Drinking and driving endangers everyone on our roads,” said Prosecutor Lindquist."
On August 6, 2018, just after four in the afternoon Washington State Patrol Troopers responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of SR-702 and 8th Ave. in Roy, Washington. When troopers arrived, Smithlin had already been taken to the hospital and two people from the second vehicle, Dong Ki, 57, and Kyung Lee, 58, were already deceased. A third person, Kum Ki, 70, died at the hospital.
According to several witnesses, Smithlin’s van was seen swerving as she approached the intersection. They say she ran the stop sign and crashed into the Rav-4 causing it to flip over. Smithlin’s van continued until it hit a utility pole.
Smithlin’s blood alcohol level during a non-evidentiary portable blood test at the hospital was .11.
Bail was set at $750,000.00.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information, please contact James Lynch at (253) 798-6265, [email protected].