Driver who allegedly rammed into Seattle protest, killing one, jailed on $1.2M bail
The black man who allegedly drove his Jaguar into a group of Black Lives Matter protesters on a Seattle freeway Saturday was handed a $1.2 million bail Monday.
Dawit Kelete, 27, drove the wrong way up I-5, around cars blocking the freeway and into the protesters, according to prosecutors.
Summer Taylor, 24, died in the hospital Saturday night and Diaz Love remains hospitalized.
“I cannot believe Summer was murdered,” Diaz wrote on Facebook Sunday. “If they thought this murder would make us back down, they are very wrong.”
Kelete fled the scene before being caught by police. He has been charged with two counts of vehicular assault but officials have said the charges could be upgraded pending the investigation.
Seattle protester dies after driver plows car through crowd
His lawyer called it a “horrible, horrible accident.”
“There’s absolutely nothing political about this case whatsoever,” John Henry Browne said. “My client is in tears. He’s very remorseful. He feels tremendous guilt.”
Neither drugs nor alcohol were found in Kelete’s system at the time of his arrest.
After Saturday’s incident, officials said they will no longer allow protesters to walk along the freeway and will arrest any who do.
With News Wire Services
