LYNNWOOD — A judge sentenced a King County woman last week to 6½ years in prison for hitting and killing a pedestrian on Highway 99 while high on cannabis.
On the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2020, Fozieh Shirdelhefzabad, 72, was crossing to the west side of Highway 99 in the 17400 block, according to charging papers. Multiple witnesses noted she had the signal to cross.
But as she neared the west side, a Jeep Cherokee turning left from the east side onto Highway 99 hit Shirdelhefzabad, carrying her 35 to 40 feet south of the intersection before stopping, prosecutors allege. At the intersection, a sign advises drivers turning left to yield on green.
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The witnesses saw Tachelle Thomas, now 24, get out of the Jeep and look at Shirdelhefzabad. But she then got back in the Jeep and drove away, according to the charges. One witness reported Thomas drove through a red light while fleeing.
Paramedics took Shirdelhefzabad to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, where she was reportedly diagnosed with a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury. Over two weeks later, on Dec. 17, she died.
Thomas drove to her sister’s home. The Jeep was her sister’s. The sister let Thomas drive it to Walmart even though Thomas didn’t have a license, according to court documents.
When Thomas stepped in the home, she reportedly screamed she had hit somebody. She told her sister the crash was near Walmart. She begged her sister not to go back to the crash site. But her sister drove her back in the Jeep. Witnesses there confirmed this was the car that hit Shirdelhefzabad.
When Thomas got out of the Jeep, an officer noted she smelled of cannabis. A sample of her blood taken about four hours after the crash found she had 7.3 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood. In Washington, the legal limit is 5 nanograms.
In May 2022, prosecutors charged Thomas with vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and a hit-and-run fatality.
More than two years later, in July of this year, Thomas pleaded guilty to the vehicular homicide charge. Prosecutors dropped the hit-and-run charge.
Under state sentencing guidelines, the defendant faced 6½ to 8½ years in prison. Prosecutors asked Judge Paul Thompson to sentence Thomas to the low end of that range.
Thomas’ public defender urged Thompson to instead impose a mental health sentencing alternative so she can get treatment instead of being incarcerated.
Thomas has been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to court filings. When she was younger, she was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD.
“The community benefits from Ms. Thomas receiving MHSA, so she can receive the appropriate care, treatment, and support to help her learn to cope with her issues,” wrote Thomas’ attorney, Jeffrey Wolfenbarger. “Ms. Thomas has been given so few chances of success in her life.”
On Dec. 10, Thompson sided with the prosecution.
Thomas had no felony history as an adult, court records show.
In a letter to the victim’s family this month, Thomas wrote she was “haunted by the consequences of my actions.”
“I’m asking for your forgiveness and for the peace of your loved one’s soul,” she wrote. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m begging you to understand that I’m truly sorry. I’ve been through a lot and I’m doing everything I can to make things right. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me someday.”
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; X: @GoldsteinStreet.
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