An 18-year-old driver, Chase Daniel Jones, is facing charges of vehicular homicide following a high-speed collision that resulted in the deaths of a mother and three children in Washington state. Jones is alleged to have been driving his Audi A4 at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour when he crashed into a minivan carrying the victims.
The deceased have been identified as 38-year-old Andrea Hudson, 12-year-old Boyd Buster Brown, and sisters Matilda and Eloise Wilcoxson, aged 13 and 12 respectively. The impact of the collision reportedly forced the minivan into two other vehicles on the road. Two other children from Hudson’s family, who were also in the minivan, are currently in intensive care.
The fatal accident occurred on Tuesday in the community of Fairwood. According to a police report obtained by the Seattle Times, Jones, who was severely injured in the crash, is said to have run a red light at the intersection where the incident took place.
Authorities allege that Jones was driving at speeds of up to 112 mph, without any signs of braking, on a road with a 40 mph speed limit. Witnesses cited in the police report also claimed that Jones was seen weaving in and out of traffic prior to the crash.
This is not Jones’ first brush with reckless driving. According to King County prosecutors, Jones had purchased the Audi just a month ago, after totaling two other vehicles in less than a year due to speeding-related accidents.
Jones now faces four counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, and a charge of reckless driving.
In the wake of the tragedy, friends and family have been remembering the victims. The Wilcoxson sisters were described as a “true light to everyone around them” on a GoFundMe page set up in their memory. Andrea Hudson was remembered as a devoted mother and wife, while Buster Brown’s father described his late son as “one of the most fun loving, adventurous kids.”