Man charged in West Seattle hit-and-run that killed cyclist in July

SEATTLE — A driver accused of hitting a cyclist near the Spokane Street Bridge last summer and then leaving him to die has been charged with vehicular homicide.

Robb Mason, 63, was riding an electric bike on July 15, 2022, when he was hit by a car, whose driver fled.

Mason, who was wearing a yellow safety vest and had just entered a crosswalk when he was hit, died at the scene.

Charging documents said it was still very light outside on the clear and warm evening and the roads were dry when 20-year-old Mohamed Yusuf crossed the double centerline and plowed into the cyclist shortly before 7 p.m.

Yusuf was going an average speed of 52 mph in a 25 mph zone when he hit Mason, according to prosecutors.

Several road cameras, as well as one on a Metro bus, captured the crash, which showed that Yusuf initially braked upon hitting the victim, but then sped away, court papers say.

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The investigation that led detectives to Yusuf included Ring camera video and audio which recorded him behind his house telling someone he was driving “55 mph,” several statements he made in his social media feeds, and searches for “hit and run death of cyclist,” “how long does marijuana (weed) stay in your system” and links to news stories about Mason’s death, probable cause documents said.

After search warrants were obtained for his phone and Snapchat account, investigators found a message sent by Yusuf that said he did a hit-and-run and was under some “hot temperature,” prosecutors said.

Yusef is also charged with felony hit-and-run.

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