SEATTLE — A King County judge denied a motion Thursday to temporarily release Radalyn King, the driver charged with plowing into four people who were walking along a sidewalk on Aurora Avenue last year, killing two of them.
King’s attorney argued for her temporary release from jail, where she’s awaiting trial, to attend a celebration of life for her grandfather in Oak Harbor.
During the hearing, the boyfriend of one of the victims — who was also hurt in the crash — spoke publicly for the first time and opposed the release of King. Charging papers said investigators suspected she was on drugs at the time of the crash and tried to hide after crawling out of the wreckage.
“It was a sense of relief,” said Andrew Linden, reacting to the judge’s decision. He survived the crash but lost his girlfriend whom he had planned to marry.
“The memory of it hijacks me,” said Linden. “Every day I just miss her; I just really want her back.”
In an interview with KIRO 7, Linden, who has since physically recovered from injuries suffered in the crash, described walking along the sidewalk the day after Thanksgiving last year, when the driver crashed into the group. Rebecca Richman, 28, and her 26-year-old brother, Michael Richman, were both killed.
“I just remember there being so much glass and debris falling and just the terrible sound of the engine just ejecting from the vehicle,” said Linden. “I remember the engine landed next to me — I could feel how hot it was. The first thing I did was just get to my feet, I figured I had to, and I ran over to Rebecca: I got to her within seconds but she was already gone.”
King’s defense attorney, who argued for King to be released for 12 hours on July 11, said during Thursday’s hearing that he had received the drug test results for his client.
“Does not seem to be that the test results are consistent with the belief that this was caused by drug use,” said King’s defense attorney during the hearing. “I think it’s more suggestive of some type of mental health breakdown.”
Prosecutors, who argued against the release citing supervision and COVID-19 concerns, did not immediately return a KIRO 7 request for additional information on the drug test results.
Linden said loved ones haven’t held a ceremony yet for Rebecca and Michael, because their father Steve, who was also injured in the crash, continues to recover from his injuries after losing his only two children.
“I think Steve’s motivation is to carry on their legacy and to do something good in the world to remember them because that’s how they’d want to be remembered,” said Linden. “And that’s my motivation going forward too.”
Cox Media Group
