A man charged Monday in a suspected DUI wreck east of Roy that killed a 19-year-old man was allegedly driving more than 110 mph on a rural road before the crash, charging documents say.
Ramone Jermaine Canley, 21, was charged in Pierce County Superior Court with vehicular homicide for the Sept. 25 crash near the intersection of 304th Street East and 8th Avenue South, about six miles east of Roy. A man in the passenger seat, Alex Pulley, died after the car left the road and tumbled hundreds of feet into a field.
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The defendant is to be arraigned Dec. 19. According to court records, he has no prior felony criminal history in Pierce County.
The crash on a 35 mph road sent Canley's 2022 Toyota Supra 513 feet over a ditch and through a cattle fence, according to the declaration for determination of probable cause. That's nearly one-and-a-half times the distance of a football field. The car was destroyed, with damage on every part of the body, records state.
Based on evidence at the scene and data obtained from the car, Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputies believe the vehicle was going between 110-155 mph before the crash, according to the probable cause document.
Pulley was pronounced dead at the scene, and the Pierce County medical examiner later determined he died of multiple blunt-force injuries. The driver suffered a fractured neck.
Family of the victim, whose nickname was Bugs, told The News Tribune he was born in Lakewood and grew up in Spanaway. His mother, Lori Sheldrew, said her son was taken too soon.
Canley allegedly smelled of intoxicants when deputies spoke to him at the crash scene. Records state he told one deputy he had a few drinks hours before the crash. Toxicology testing results are pending.
Charging documents gave this account:
A Pierce County deputy was dispatched to the crash at about 1:51 a.m. There, the deputy noticed flashing lights in a large field southeast of the 304th Street intersection. As he walked toward the lights, he heard a man yelling for help.
The man was later identified as Canley. According to the probable cause document, he identified himself as the driver and said his friend needed help. Canley allegedly told the deputy he was driving the speed limit of 35 mph and fell asleep at the wheel.
Parts of Canley's car were scattered throughout the field, and the vehicle appeared to have rolled multiple times before it came to a stop, records state. Pulley was found just outside the passenger side of the vehicle. Deputies reported he appeared dead, and medical aid that responded to the scene confirmed he was deceased.
Deputies questioned Canley at the scene about where he was coming from and whether he had anything to drink that night. According to the probable cause document, he said he drove from Spanaway, and that he had a few shots of tequila around 7 p.m.
Medical personnel evaluated Canley and transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital. Samples of his blood were drawn for toxicology testing.
