Man convicted of second-degree murder in deadly chase

EVERETT — A man who ended the life of a nurse while trying to outrun police in a chase from Bothell to Everett was convicted of second-degree murder Thursday.

Joseph Strange, 35, was committing the felony of attempting to elude police when he crashed a pickup truck into a car driven by Rachael Kamin, the jury found.

The nurse was driving home on Mother’s Day 2013 after her shift at Providence Regional Medical Center’s Pacific Avenue Campus. She sustained a fatal head injury and died two days later. She is survived by her husband and two children.

In addition to the felony murder conviction, jurors found that Strange had committed the less-serious offense of first-degree manslaughter. They also convicted him of possessing a stolen vehicle.

Strange faces up to 33 years in prison for the murder conviction when he is sentenced on Jan. 9. Prosecutors also plan to ask for additional time for the stolen pickup truck. Strange has racked up more than a dozen felony convictions since 2003. This is his second strike under the state’s persistent offender law.

Prosecutors had charged Strange with first-degree murder under a seldom used theory that he caused Kamin’s death “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life.”

Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on that count.

Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Tobin Darrow had maintained Strange created a grave risk of death when he hit two cars, ran red lights and drove up to 90 mph on Evergreen Way all in an attempt to escape capture. He was at the wheel of a stolen pickup truck.

Strange’s defense attorney, Donald Wackerman, told jurors that his client was guilty of negligent conduct, warranting a second-degree manslaughter conviction. He said that no one — including pursuing police — could have known that chase would end in death.

Strange shook Wackerman’s hand and thanked him after the verdict was announced.

Strange was under supervision of the state Department of Corrections at the time of the crash. Seven months earlier he had completed a prison sentence for possessing a stolen vehicle.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Snohomish County prosecutor Kara Van Slyck delivers closing statement during the trial of Christian Sayre at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Jury deliberations begin in the fourth trial of former Everett bar owner

Jury members deliberated for about 2 hours before Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Millie Judge sent them home until Monday.

Christian Sayre sits in the courtroom before the start of jury selection on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Christian Sayre timeline

FEBRUARY 2020 A woman reports a sexual assault by Sayre. Her sexual… Continue reading

Everett
Everett considers ordinance to require more apprentice labor

It would require apprentices to work 15% of the total labor hours for construction or renovation on most city projects over $1 million.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Everett postal workers gather for a portrait to advertise the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County letter carriers prepare for food drive this Saturday

The largest single-day food drive in the country comes at an uncertain time for federal food bank funding.

Craig Skotdal makes a speech after winning on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 in Tulalip, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Craig Skotdal: Helping to breathe life into downtown Everett

Skotdal is the recipient of the John M. Fluke Sr. award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County

Paine Field Community Day returns Saturday, May 17

The youth-focused celebration will feature aircraft displays, talks with pilots and a variety of local food vendors.

FILE — Jet fuselages at Boeing’s fabrication site in Everett, Wash., Sept. 28, 2022. Some recently manufactured Boeing and Airbus jets have components made from titanium that was sold using fake documentation verifying the material’s authenticity, according to a supplier for the plane makers. (Jovelle Tamayo/The New York Times)
Boeing adding new space in Everett despite worker reduction

Boeing is expanding the amount of space it occupies in… Continue reading

Kyle Parker paddles his canoe along the Snohomish River next to Langus Riverfront Park on Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Tip to Tip: Kyle Parker begins his canoe journey across the country

The 24-year-old canoe fanatic started in Neah Bay and is making his way up the Skykomish River.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Kamiak High School is pictured Friday, July 8, 2022, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo police respond to stabbing at Kamiak High School

One juvenile was taken into custody in connection with Friday’s incident. A victim was treated at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.