A young man of 22 years has been indicted with a charge of second-degree murder following a drive-by shooting incident that resulted in the death of a corrections officer from Snohomish County. The officer was fatally shot while he was trying to assist a deer to cross the road. The unfortunate event took place on South Machias Road in the unincorporated area of Snohomish County on the night of September 7.
The officer and his wife were attempting to slow down the traffic from both directions to ensure the deer could cross the road safely, according to the documents indicating probable cause. The wife of the deceased officer mentioned that the drivers usually drive at high speeds on that road. She also confirmed that neither she nor her husband were on the road when the shooting took place.
The wife of the victim and a neighbor who witnessed the incident described the vehicles involved as a green Jeep Cherokee and a four-door sedan with damage at the rear end. The sedan was being driven by the suspect, Dylan Picard, who was armed with a black and white firearm that had a light and laser attachment.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office found bystanders trying to save the officer’s life. Despite their best efforts, the officer was declared dead shortly after 8 p.m. Surveillance footage from a nearby restaurant showed the dark-colored Jeep Cherokee and the silver or light-colored sedan driving past.
The following day, an off-duty deputy spotted a vehicle that matched the description of Picard’s car in Lake Stevens. Picard was taken into custody by deputies and police officers. During the interrogation, Picard confessed to shooting the officer and disclosed that the firearm used in the crime was in his vehicle. The weapon matched the description provided by the victim’s wife.
Picard stated that he was frightened when the officer approached his car and fired a shot to scare him and the woman with him. However, this statement was contradicted by the footage from the body camera.
The corrections officer who was killed in the shooting has been identified as Dan Spaeth. His family described him as a person who was born to make a difference in people’s lives and took pride in giving back to his community. Despite their loss, the family has chosen not to harbor anger or hatred towards the suspect.
Picard is currently in custody, facing charges of second-degree murder. Despite their loss, Spaeth’s family has expressed a refusal to harbor anger or hatred towards the suspect, stating that Spaeth’s light “still shines.”