Man who hit, killed protester on I-5 in 2020 sentenced to over 6 years in prison

Dawit Kelete was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on Friday, months after he pleaded guilty to hitting and killing protester Summer Taylor on I-5 through Seattle in 2020.

In July of 2020, Kelete drove onto I-5 through Seattle where a group of Black Lives Matter demonstrators were gathered. He hit Summer Taylor and Diaz Love, killing the former and severely injuring the latter. Love suffered from a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, lacerations, and displacements. Kelete later told officials that at the time, he was under the influence of opioids while struggling with “untreated addiction.”

Over the summer, he pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, and reckless driving. According to the King County Prosecutor’s office, the standard sentence for this crime is between two and a half and three and a half years. A longer sentence was recommended in this case due to the “substantial injuries” suffered by Love.

Taylor’s parent’s both read prepared statements in an emotional day in court, while their mother spoke to media after Kelete’s sentencing. She spoke to how Taylor’s family would like them to be remembered.

“They were a fun, very loved individual with lots of friends who enjoyed them very much,” she said. “They loved animals, they loved the beach, they loved their family, they loved to travel, and they had a fantastic sense of humor.”

The 78-month sentence was part of the agreement struck between prosecution and defense after Kelete pleaded guilty. The judge did not find Kelete’s conduct was intentional, but extremely and grossly reckless. She feels the community did not get an understanding of the circumstances around the incident from coverage at the time.

Taylor’s homicide resulted in a top of the range 41 months sentence. Love’s severe injuries added another 34 months. With the reckless driving charge the total came out to 78 months.

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