A Federal Way man faces vehicular homicide and other charges after he allegedly crashed into another vehicle driving an estimated 100 mph along northbound Interstate 5 in Kent and killed a Federal Way mother.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Keith Anthony Edwards, 26, on June 13 with vehicular homicide, felony hit-and-run, reckless driving and having no valid operator’s license. According to charging documents, Edwards allegedly took his younger brother’s Tesla without permission, and was seen at about 6:46 p.m. June 9 traveling at around 100 mph on I-5, just south of State Route 516.
Edwards was reportedly driving a black 2019 Tesla Model 3, changing lanes diagonally and cutting off traffic, before it struck the rear of a 2000 Lexus ES sedan, which then struck a guardrail on the right shoulder. Edwards then fled the scene on foot into the woods. He turned himself in three days after the crash.
Liz Luaipou Vili-Kereti, 61, died of multiple blunt force injuries at the scene of the crash, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. She was a passenger in the Lexus driven by her son, Blessings Kereti, 18, of Federal Way, a June 15 Decatur High School graduate. Paramedics transported the son to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
According to a GoFundMe campaign raising donations for Vili-Kereti’s funeral costs, she was a devoted and selfless mother who poured her heart into her children. The GoFundMe adds that no matter the circumstances, Vili-Kereti gave everything she had to ensure her children felt loved, cared for and supported.
Edwards pleaded not guilty June 25 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to the King County Proseucting Attorney’s Office. He has a pretrial hearing July 21. As of June 27, he is in custody at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent with bail set at $250,000, according to King County jail records.
Details of the case
After the crash, witnesses reported to the Washington State Patrol seeing a man who matched Edwards’ description fleeing the scene. Documents state that another witness said that a passenger in the back seat of one of the vehicles may be dead.
Troopers arrived at 7:03 p.m. and determined that the Tesla was driving at a high rate of speed and struck the rear of the Lexus. Documents state that troopers located Vili-Kereti in critical condition, and she was then pronounced dead on the scene by aid personnel at 7:23 p.m.
At about 7:42 p.m., the mother of the registered owner of the Tesla arrived on the scene and informed officers that her son, Edwards, was driving at the time of the collision. Documents state that the mother told officers that when the vehicle was taken, she was at home and she heard a vehicle leaving their residence.
The mother then received a call from her husband, who stated that Edwards had just taken his younger brother’s Tesla from the home. Documents state that the mother then tracked the car’s location from her phone and saw that the vehicle was not moving and the trunk was open, so she drove to the crash site.
According to documents, Edwards’ younger brother is usually the only person to drive the Tesla, and he was sleeping when the car was taken. Documents state that the mother said Edwards was not allowed to drive any of the family cars because he drives recklessly and has been in trouble for doing so in the past.
After the crash, officers received a call from Edwards’ older brother, who stated that Edwards had just left his house. Edwards’ older brother stated that Edwards arrived at his house, told him he had been in a crash, and said he might have killed someone.
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