SEATTLE – We’re learning more about the criminal history of the man accused of causing a deadly chain-reaction crash that sent a metro bus into a building, killing a woman on the sidewalk last week.
Adam Abelson is now facing charges that include vehicular homicide for the Nov. 4 crash.
Prosecutors say that locally, he’s been issued around 50 warrants for his arrest in the past and accused of a number of crimes.
Charging documents state that Abelson not only caused the crash with the bus in Seattle but was also accused of having drug paraphernalia on the front seat of his car at the time.
Charging documents say that Abelson was “speeding at highway speeds and much faster than the 25mph speed limit.”
He was also accused of failing to slow down or stop for a “solid red light”.
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Documents state that he, “collided with the front bumper of the Prius before striking the bus near the front left tire.”
Investigators say the impact redirected the bus toward the southeast corner where pedestrian Amanda Schneider stood. She reportedly tried to run but was struck and killed.
“An incident involving a bus like this and particularly rare when you think of the number of bus routes and rides that happen per day, the odds of things happening to you is very slim on Metro. But, it doesn’t mean this victim’s life was any less valuable, or this case was any less serious. This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” said Casey McNerthney, King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Documents state there were 14 passengers on the bus at the time of this collision and 11 were transported to the hospital.
Inside Abelson’s car, officers said they could see, “drug paraphernalia (pipe, torch, aluminum tin), which suggested drugs may have been a causing factor”.
“If we get additional information from Seattle Police investigators, of course we are going to act on it with the same urgency,” said McNerthney.
So far, Abelson is facing charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and having no valid operator’s license.
Prosecutors say he has a lengthy record, including hit-and-run, vehicle prowling, making false statements to a public servant, theft and organized retail theft.
“Only a few of those came to our office,” said McNertheny.
Prosecutors argued for a bail amount of at least $500,000.
“In asking for this high bail amount, we wanted to make sure this information got before the court,” said McNerthney.
Court documents reveal that the state toxicology lab is working on the results to determine if Abelson was under the influence of something during the crash.