Kirkland resident Kelly Ann Hudson, 42, pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault Thursday morning in King County Superior Court. The charges stem from a car wreck that killed an 81-year-old Kirkland woman and injured three on Juanita Drive.
Hudson, who was dressed in an orange jumpsuit with blonde hair, told the judge that she was “absolutely not guilty.”
“I think there was a tick of arrogance in that statement,” said Tom Kamm, nephew of Joyce Parsons who was killed in the wreck. “This is frustrating because no one wins in this. This type of thing is out of control in our society … We need to keep educating people on this and I know all of the families feel this way.”
Hudson has been in King County Jail on a $500,000 bond since her arrest.
In a rare ruling, Judge Ronald Kessle allowed her lawyer, Scott E. Wonder, to shield her from the media and others in court. Wonder held a thin white sheet of Styrofoam between his client’s upper torso and face and those in attendance for her arraignment. Hudson does not want her children to see her in the papers or on television. Kamm called the shielding “unique.”
Hudson was granted a postponement of her bail hearing and will remain in jail until her next court date on Sept. 10.
“I am obviously angry and upset but I am entitled to feel that way,” said Tom Kamm. “It has rocked my boat.”
Hudson is suspected of crossing the center line on Kirkland’s Juanita Drive and killing Parsons, 81, of Kirkland, and injuring three others on the night of Aug. 7.
Arthur Kamm, Daniel J. Grieshaber and Jenny Grieshaber, who were in the Toyota Pruis with Parsons, were returning home from an Argosy Cruise when they were hit head-on by Hudson’s blue minivan. Kamm and Jenny Grieshaber, 69, were transported to Harborview in critical condition after the accident. Daniel J. Grieshaber, 72, was transported to Evergreen with minor injuries.
A memorial will be held this Saturday for Parsons although no further details were released by the family.
The Kamm family is now attempting to deal with Arthur’s care.
“He is 85 and change so this is pretty severe stuff,” said Tom Kamm about his father. “He has had two surgeries on his hip and pelvis and I don’t know how his ribs are.”
The Grieshabers are from Sarasota, Fla. and Ohio and are related to Parsons and Kamm. Tom Kamm said that the couple have been released from the hospital and have left town in a recreational vehicle. Their injuries would not allow them fly home on a plane said Kamm.
Hudson was also suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs by police and in charging documents, but results of her blood alcohol tests have not been released. Police said that Hudson allegedly told them she had taken medication with wine earlier that evening.
A case-setting hearing is set for Sept. 10. Hudson was also allegedly seen by neighbors that same night attempting to drive the minivan out on the road but hitting a bolder in her driveway. The collision was no violent that it ripped the bumper off the van.
Reporter Raechel Dawson contributed to this report.
