An Enumclaw woman is accused of causing a wreck on state Route 410 that killed two people and injured two others over the weekend.
King County prosecutors charged Michelle Renee Oster, who also goes by the last names Thomas and Walton-Thomas, with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault. Prosecutors say Oster's aggressive driving on Oct. 13 triggered the wreck on Southeast Enumclaw Chinook Road.
Oster's bail was set at $100,000 on Monday during her court appearance in King County. Her bond was posted the same day, court records show. She is expected to enter an initial plea on Oct. 30 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Charging details
Washington State Patrol troopers were dispatched at 11:28 a.m. that day to reports of a three-car crash on state Route 410 outside of Enumclaw.
Witnesses said that Oster was driving her 2008 Honda Accord west on state Route 410 when she moved into the eastbound lanes in order to pass several vehicles at one time, according to a report from state patrol.
When a Honda Fit driving in the eastbound lane became visible, Oster allegedly attempted to drive back into the westbound lane and struck a Subaru Outback. This caused the Subaru to rotate into the eastbound lane and was struck by the Honda Fit.
A witness said he was driving about 55 miles per hour and that Oster was "going considerably faster." He alleged that she passed about four to five cars before the crash.
Kim Davis Nordberg, 72, of Lakebay and his wife Bette Nordberg, 69, of Puyallup, were in the Subaru. They died at the scene. Two of their dogs were taken to a vet for their injuries, charging documents show.
A 32-year-old woman who was driving the Honda Fit and a passenger, a 38-year-old woman from Seattle, were taken to Harborview Medical Center for their extensive injuries, prosecutors wrote. They remain in the ICU and their condition is unknown, prosecutors wrote. The driver's dog was bleeding and rushed to an emergency vet.
Oster was uninjured and allegedly admitted that she was "in a hurry" to get home. Prosecutors wrote that she seemed annoyed and dismissive when troopers spoke to her. She allegedly was more concerned with getting her vape pen from her Honda rather than the state of the victims.
While there was no evidence of impairment, prosecutors were concerned of Oster's comments made to troopers about trying to get off Dilaudid, an opioid pain medication. A blood draw search warrant was requested, documents show.
Oster has a history of driving infractions, including reckless driving in 2009, driving under the influence in 2002 and driving with a suspended license in 2003, prosecutors wrote. Her most recent citation was speeding 17 miles over the speed limit in 2018.
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