Yakima Teen Facing Charges After Shooting and Crash
A 17-year-old driver involved in a deadly crash on Friday is now sitting in the Yakima Juvenile Jail facing a charge of Vehicular Homicide. Yakima Police Capt. Jay Seely says the teen is a well known gang member in Yakima who was driving an Audi Friday night fleeing from a shooting at a downtown intersection when he crashed into a vehicle at North 3rd Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. A mother and daughter were killed in the crash. Seely says they believe the teen was traveling on Lincoln Avenue between 60 and 70 mph when he crashed happened.
The crash followed a tragic gang shooting in downtown Yakima
Before the crash Seely says people in the Audi and another vehicle exchanged gunfire at the intersection of South 1st Street and East Yakima Avenue. During the shooting a 21-year-old woman driving the Audi was shot and killed. The 17-year-old teen, who was a passenger, pulled the woman into the back seat and jumped into the driver seat and took off eventually getting into the crash on Lincoln Avenue.
Seely says he's been investigating crashes in Yakima for years and he says he'd never seen the kind of damage that was caused in the crash. a 21-year-old female, along with her 52-year-old mother died instantly.
Police are still searching for the other shooting suspects
Authorities are still searching for the suspects involved in the shooting in downtown Yakima before the crash. Seely says the case is currently under investigation by the Yakima Police Major Crimes and Gang Unit, along with the Yakima Police Traffic Unit. Anyone with information, video, or may have witnessed the collision or shooting is encouraged to contact YPD at:(509) 575-6200