Driver had pint of gin before he fatally hit Lacey woman, court records allege
A Lacey man who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian on Wednesday is being held in the Thurston County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
Officers arrested David Mwinyi, 42, following a multi-car wreck at the intersection of Pacific Avenue Southeast and Carpenter Road. He attended his preliminary hearing in Thurston County Superior Court on Thursday.
He has not yet been charged. Prosecutors have until 5 p.m. Monday to file charges against Mwinyi, or else his bail order will expire. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Court records indicate Mwinyi was appointed a public defense attorney, but it was not immediately clear who would represent him in this case. He remained in the Thurston County Jail as of Friday morning. He has no known criminal adult convictions.
Prosecutors accused him of vehicular homicide, two counts of hit-and-run injury, driving under the influence, two counts of reckless endangerment, hit-and-run attended vehicle and reckless driving. Judge Allyson Zipp found probable cause for the alleged crimes and set the bail amount, according to court records. She also barred Mwinyi from driving, consuming alcohol and drugs and contacting the victims and witnesses.
In a Wednesday update on social media, Lacey police alleged Mwinyi struck a vehicle in a convenience store parking lot on Pacific Avenue and attempted to flee. During that attempt, Mwinyi allegedly hit two other cars and then drove into one of the buildings at the Reserve at Lacey, a 55-and-older apartment complex.
Police allege Mwinyi struck a pedestrian when he crashed into the building, and she died at the scene. Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock identified the pedestrian as Elke Howard, a 63-year-old resident of the complex, The Olympian reported Thursday.
First responders transported Mwinyi and two other people to an area hospital to be treated for minor injuries, per Lacey police. At the hospital, Mwinyi allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol before picking up his 8-year-old son from school, according to court records.
The child was in the vehicle during the crash but did not get hurt, court records show.
The probable cause statement, which describes the investigation from the perspective of law enforcement, gives this account of what happened:
Lacey police officers responded to the scene just before 3:30 p.m. One officer observed a Lacey firefighter performing CPR on Howard next to a GMC Sierra that Mwinyi drove into the building.
Mwinyi was still in his vehicle when officers arrived. The airbags deployed in the crash, and Mwinyi was awake; however, officers noted he appeared bloodied and confused. Firefighters helped him out of the vehicle and rendered aid at the scene.
Officers pieced together what happened after speaking with multiple witnesses and receiving dash camera and surveillance footage in the area.
A convenience store employee allegedly told officers Mwinyi appeared drunk when he entered the store. Video footage allegedly showed him stumbling to the cash register.
Once outside, Mwinyi allegedly reversed out of a parking stall and hit a parked Ford Explorer. Rather than stop, Mwinyi allegedly accelerated at a “high rate of speed” through the parking lot and travelled north through the east and westbound lanes of Pacific Avenue Southeast.
Mwinyi then collided with a Toyota Corolla and a Honda CR-V in the eastbound lanes. Both cars spun out and came to a rest facing south.
The Toyota sustained damage from the passenger side rear door to rear bumper, while the Honda was damaged in the passenger side rear tire area, according to the statement.
Mwinyi allegedly did not stop for either of these collisions and continued toward the Reserve at Lacey.
A witness told police that she was sitting next to Howard on a grassy area on the north side of Pacific Avenue when the GMC suddenly hit Howard and crashed into the building.
A resident told police she heard collisions outside her home and then a “big boom” when the GMC struck her building. She went outside and saw Howard pinned against the building.
Howard reportedly asked the resident for help, and the resident stayed with her until first responders arrived.
A Lacey police corporal interviewed Mwinyi at the hospital. He allegedly initially said he had a seizure and no memory of the collision. The corporal informed him he had a warrant to collect two vials of his blood and asked him about the likelihood that there would be evidence of alcohol consumption.
Mwinyi allegedly admitted to drinking a pint of gin at his home before he left to pick up his son from school.
He allegedly then confirmed he struck a vehicle in the parking lot and feared getting in trouble for drinking and driving, according to the statement.
