By Eric Stevick Herald Writer
EVERETT — An Everett man with a previous drunken-driving conviction now stands accused of plowing his car into two pedestrians and a bicyclist, killing one, before speeding off.
Terrence J. Olesen, 27, was arrested for investigation of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and hit-and-run after the deadly collision in Marysville late Saturday.
An Everett District Court judge set bail at $100,000 Monday.
The three men were run down by a driver in the 10200 block of Shoultes Road in Marysville. Police followed a trail for more than a mile to Olesen and his heavily damaged car.
Police detected “a strong odor of intoxicants” coming from Olesen, according to court papers. A blood sample is being sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. It could take several weeks to learn a blood-alcohol level, officials said.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the dead man as Shane Santos, 18. He died at the scene. Santos was part of the Marysville Pilchuck High School Class of 2011 and previously attended Sunnyside Elementary and Marysville Middle schools.
Young people in Marysville and elsewhere filled their Facebook pages Sunday and Monday with sad notes about Santos’ death.
They described him as an energetic young man who was a great dancer and had a positive attitude. Many referred to him as “Hugz.”
The injured men, both from Marysville, remained at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center on Monday. Police have not been released their names. They are 20 and 21. Both are expected to survive. One has severe head injuries and a broken leg; the other suffered a broken pelvis and spinal fractures, according to court papers.
Two men were walking along the shoulder of the roadway and the third was riding a bicycle alongside them.
It was not immediately clear who was on the bike and who was walking, Marysville police Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux said. All three were unconscious at the crash scene. Collision investigators were hoping to interview one of the victims at the hospital to learn more about the crash.
The pedestrians were carrying food and refreshments, including Gorilla energy drinks. Police found the drink at the scene and apparently splashed on the suspect’s car.
They also found hand prints from one of the victims on the roof of the vehicle as well as fibers that might be from clothing and hair.
A Marysville police sergeant noticed a fluid trail leading away from the collision scene. He followed the trail 1.3 miles to the 5000 block of 122nd Street where he spotted an empty white Volkswagen sedan with extensive front-end damage and a shattered windshield. No one was inside the car.
The suspect walked up to the sergeant. He initially said he had been alone in the car.
Witnesses told police the car was “all over the road” in the minutes leading up to the crash.
One driver said he had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting the car after it pulled out in front of him in the 9600 block of State Avenue in Marysville. He and a passenger said the Volkswagen cut off another car as it headed northbound on Shoultes Road. They said it also crossed the center line, driving into the southbound lanes.
The witnesses reported coming upon the injured men moments after the crash.
They said the Volkswagen stopped briefly about 100 feet north of the collision. A man was standing outside the car’s passenger side, and the driver yelled, “Dude, dude,” before the passenger jumped back in and the car drove away, according to court papers.
The car sped away so quickly that it left tire marks on the pavement, according to the police report.
Collision experts from the Marysville Police Department and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office found parts of the suspect’s car at the crash scene, including pieces of headlight glass, housing for the door mirror and the front license plate and bumper.
The judge Monday ruled that there was not legal cause to hold Olesen’s passenger, who was arrested for investigation of rendering criminal assistance. The Marysville man, 30, was released.
Olesen had a drunken-driving conviction after being stopped at 84th St. NE and Highway 9 near Marysville in December 2007. He had a blood-alcohol level of .15, according to court records. That is nearly twice the legal limit in the state of Washington.
If he is convicted in this case, state law allows for enhanced penalties because of the prior drunken-driving prosecution.
Rikki King contributed to this story.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
