One killed, another injured by drivers allegedly on drugs

Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 19, 2018

EVERETT — Within a day, two men were accused of driving under the influence of drugs and causing crashes in Snohomish County.

One sent a woman to the hospital with serious injuries, and a pedestrian died in the other. Each of the drivers has previous DUI arrests, according to court papers.

The crashes occurred on two local highways, about six miles apart.

In the first, a 23-year-old man was driving west on U.S. 2, just east of Highway 9, when he reportedly crossed the center line. He drifted into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck carrying a utility trailer, according to the arrest report.

The trailer came loose and went through a guard rail, rolled down a hill and landed on its top. The driver, from Okanogan County, allegedly kept going the wrong direction and hit another car head-on. The woman driving that car was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with serious injuries to her head, hips and ankles, according to court documents.

The suspect was swaying, had bloodshot eyes and smelled of marijuana, according to Washington State Patrol reports. After officers arrested him, they reportedly found pot in his pocket as well as a white substance believed to be an illegal drug. The records don’t say which drug it was believed to be.

His blood was tested but the results haven’t come back yet, trooper Heather Axtman said Wednesday.

The man was booked for investigation of vehicular assault, driving under the influence of drugs, and possession of a controlled substance. He also was driving without a license. His bail was set at $110,000.

About 16 hours later, an Arlington man was driving on Highway 529 in Everett when he reportedly hit a pedestrian, who died at the scene. The victim was identified as Jonathan Lundberg, 46, of Everett.

Witnesses called Everett police around 3 a.m. Tuesday. They said Lundberg wasn’t moving, and it seemed as though the driver was trying to leave, according to court papers. He was in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which had a broken windshield and other damage to its front.

Once officers arrived, they noticed the suspect had constricted pupils. A trooper with training in recognizing drug use was called for an evaluation. The trooper told police he believed the suspect was under the influence of drugs.

Police said they found “no obvious indications” the suspect attempted to stop his vehicle before impact.

The suspect reportedly admitted to using heroin about five hours before the crash. A judge ordered a blood test, records show.

The driver, 33, was arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of vehicular homicide. Bail was set at $250,000.

Both drivers were still being held at the jail as of Wednesday afternoon.

Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @stephrdavey.