Snohomish County failed to prevent pursuit that killed Lynnwood woman, lawsuit says

Published 1:30 am Monday, June 29, 2026

EVERETT — The family of a Lynnwood woman who was killed in a 2024 wrong-way crash filed a lawsuit against Snohomish County alleging law enforcement failed to safely execute an arrest that escalated into the fatal high-speed pursuit.

On April 11, 2024, Trudy Slanger, 83, was driving on Highway 525 on her way home from church when Robert Rowland, 40, fatally struck her while fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. First responders pronounced Slanger dead at the scene.

The pursuit stemmed from an incident the day prior when Rowland’s girlfriend told law enforcement he had become upset at her after discovering she was checking into treatment for substance abuse and threw a metal canister at her arm.

Rowland reportedly stole her money and phone before texting her friend, “I broke her arm, I’m going to skin her and I’m coming for you next.” It was later determined that the woman’s arm was not broken.

Following a report of the incident from the friend, law enforcement tracked the girlfriend’s phone to the 8800 block of 9th Avenue Southeast in Everett. When officers arrived, Rowland jumped out a window and escaped in a nearby vehicle.

The next day, Rowland agreed to meet up with the woman and her friend to return her belongings. He arrived, wearing a mask, in a GMC Sierra pickup with the license plates removed that had been reported stolen. Security footage shows Rowland coming up behind the friend and punching her in the face before reportedly kidnapping the girlfriend.

Around 6 p.m. April 11, 2024, the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force located Rowland near Merrill Creek Parkway and 23rd Drive West in Everett. When Rowland stopped at a 7-Eleven on Hardeson Road, where authorities were waiting, they did not attempt to arrest him due to the number of people in the parking lot.

Eventually, he reached Highway 99, where he made a U-turn to get back on Highway 525. He crossed a grass median and began driving south in the northbound lanes.

Law enforcement reported terminating the pursuit, according to Snohomish County Superior Court documents.

After less than a minute of driving the wrong way, he crashed into Slanger’s vehicle.

On Dec. 2, a Snohomish County Superior Court Judge sentenced Rowland to 27 years in prison following him pleading guilty to one count of murder in the second degree and one count of vehicular assault on Nov. 20.

The family initially filed the wrongful death complaint against the county, the sheriff’s office and Snohomish County Violent Offenders’ Task Force on May 7 in King County Superior Court. Snohomish County moved the case to the U.S. District Court in Seattle on Thursday.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment Friday due to pending litigation.

The Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office does not comment on pending litigation but will review the complaint and respond in court, said the office’s spokesperson Bridget Casey Monday.

The complaint alleges law enforcement failed to follow proper protocols over the two-day period, which allowed the pursuit to escalate.

Despite attempting to serve Rowland an arrest warrant at an Everett residence, law enforcement did not apprehend him despite reportedly knowing he was a dangerous individual who would flee if not contained, court documents said.

Law enforcement allegedly did not take the steps needed to take Rowland into custody, such as not developing or executing an operational and containment plan, court documents said. This includes allegedly not getting information on the inside of the building, not gathering intelligence about other people in the home, not learning the vehicle Rowland drove, not establishing a secure perimeter to prevent escape, not conducting a proper and safe entry and not using an available canine unit.

“As a direct result of these failures to follow standard procedures, Rowland was able to exit the residence, enter a stolen vehicle, and flee the scene,” the complaint said.

During the pursuit, the complaint claims law enforcement failed to follow proper police practices and permitted Rowland to keep driving through the county. These alleged failures include paralleling the suspect vehicle with lights and sirens activated and “further escalating the hazardous and life-threatening situation,” court documents said.

“Continued pursuit made it apparent to Rowland and the passenger that he was actively being pursued, prompting him to persist in fleeing at dangerously high speeds in an attempt to get away from the police, further endangering the public,” the complaint said.

The family is requesting compensatory damages, the amount of which is to be proven at trial, court documents said.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan