EVERETT — Police believe an Everett man hit and killed a man with his car on purpose while the victim shoveled snow earlier this month off Highway 99.
Before his death, Glenn Starks, 50, had worked at Kirkland RV Sales south of Everett for about two years. In October, Tod Archibald, also 50, stopped by to look at some RVs, according to a Washington State Patrol detective’s report.
Starks recognized Archibald because he often came by the sales lot at 13111 Highway 99. When Archibald, of Everett, stopped there in October, though, the two men argued, a witness later told investigators. Archibald reportedly sped out of the lot in his pickup.
Starks also worked as a technician at the nearby Reborn RV. In late November, he and Archibald got in an argument about a limousine purchase, according to the detective’s report.
Starks reportedly spat in Archibald’s face and punched him in the face. Archibald screamed that Starks would be arrested for the alleged assault, a witness reported. He was so upset that he told a neighbor he was going to kill Starks, court papers say. Archibald later talked about stabbing Starks with a sword or filling his house with gasoline and blowing it up, according to the police report.
On Dec. 2, the neighbor contacted Starks to warn him about Archibald.
The next morning, around 8:30 a.m., Archibald left his apartment in his Pontiac G6. He drove south on Highway 99 for about a mile and a half when he saw Starks shoveling snow on the northbound shoulder in front of Kirkland RV Sales, the detective wrote in his report.
Upon seeing Starks, the Pontiac slowed down and made a U-turn to go north. As Archibald got close to Starks, he steered into the shoulder and hit Starks from behind, police allege. Starks was 8 to 10 feet from the fog line when he was hit.
Starks was “vaulted” into the air over the Pontiac, the detective wrote. The car went down an embankment and hit three parked RVs before coming to rest at the intersection with Manor Way.
Surveillance video reportedly shows Archibald run from his car east on Manor Way.
More than an hour after the crash, the victim’s body was found under a motorhome, according to court documents. He died at the scene. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Starks died of blunt-force injuries. His death was classified as homicide.
Archibald’s Pontiac had extensive damage to the front passenger side and the right side of the windshield, according to court papers. The detective noted the damage was consistent with hitting a pedestrian.
Five days after the crash, police arrested Archibald at his apartment for investigation of first-degree murder and hit-and-run fatality.
In an interview with state patrol investigators, the suspect acknowledged hitting Starks with the Pontiac, according to the detective’s report. However, he called the crash an accident. He reported fleeing the scene because he panicked.
In a Friday court hearing, Everett District Court Judge Tam Bui set bail at $1 million. Archibald remained in custody at the Snohomish County Jail on Monday.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet.
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