EVERETT — Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of Raul Benitez Santana, the man accused of killing Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Gadd in a crash on I-5 last year.
Benitez Santana, 34, faces charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from the March 2024 collision near Marysville. Jury selection is expected to continue through Thursday, with opening statements to follow. The trial is scheduled to last three weeks.
Given the high-profile nature of the case, a jury pool will begin with 111 people. Potential jurors began filling out questionnaires Tuesday morning to help narrow the pool.
Many submitted hardship requests, citing vacation conflicts and other personal obligations. Some acknowledged they had consumed media coverage of the case or expressed concerns about remaining impartial.
The case will be heard by Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Karen D. Moore, who on Monday acknowledged it would be difficult to find jurors entirely unfamiliar with the incident.
She said those who reported consuming news about the case will be individually questioned to assess whether they’ve formed strong opinions that would affect their ability to serve as jurors. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are also expected to weigh in during those conversations.
Earlier this week, Moore denied a defense motion to dismiss the case. Attorneys Emily Hancock and Tiffany Mecca argued the prosecution violated Washington’s sanctuary laws by disclosing Benitez Santana’s immigration status to federal authorities. Deputy prosecutor Amanda Campbell admitted a member of her office sent two emails in violation of the law, citing a “misunderstanding.”
Moore found the state’s conduct did not meet the threshold to dismiss the case, calling the defense’s claims of prejudice speculative.
Around 3 a.m. on March 2, 2024, Gadd, 27, was parked on the northbound shoulder of I-5 on a routine DUI patrol. Court documents state his patrol car had its lights off and the area was dark due to a lack of streetlights. Benitez Santana allegedly struck the patrol vehicle while driving over 100 mph without headlights, witnesses reported.
Gadd died at the scene. Moments later, a Navy van collided with the disabled SUV, injuring the driver.
Tests taken about 90 minutes after the crash showed Benitez Santana had a blood-alcohol content of 0.083, just above the legal limit. The defense has challenged the reliability of those tests, citing concerns with handling and storage.
Data from the vehicle’s event recorder indicated the SUV was traveling at 112 mph just before the crash, with the accelerator nearly fully depressed, court documents said.
Santana was initially held on $1 million bail, later reduced to $100,000. His attorneys said his family declined to post bail over concerns he could be detained by immigration authorities.
Trooper Gadd joined the patrol in 2021 and was stationed in Yakima County. He is survived by his daughter and his father, who also serves as a trooper. A public memorial in Everett last year drew hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the region.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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