More than one year after an alleged DUI incident that left a Kirkland woman dead and others injured, a King County Superior Court judge set Kirkland resident Kelly Ann Hudson’s trial date to Monday, Sept. 16.
Hudson, who is in her early 40s, was charged with one count of vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault in the Aug. 7, 2012 head-on-collision that killed Kirkland resident Joyce Parsons, 81, and injured three others – Parson’s brother Arthur Kamm, and two other family members Jenny Grieshaber and Daniel J. Grieshaber.
Judge Ronald Kessler granted a request from Hudson’s attorney Scott E. Wonder of Goddard Wetherall Wonder PSC to delay the trial, originally set for Sept. 11, due to his temporary hearing loss from a ruptured eardrum, ear infection and other ailments.
Hudson, who was initially held on a $500,000 bail, pleaded “absolutely not guilty” to the four counts on Aug. 23, 2012 at King County Superior Court. Judge Kessler allowed Wonder to shield her from media photography by holding a white poster board in front of face and torso during the arraignment.
On a reduced bond, Hudson was freed from jail on Sept. 11, 2012 but was ordered to submit to a weekly urine test, wear an alcohol detection bracelet and could not take non-prescribed drugs as a condition of her release. Hudson is barred from driving any type of motor vehicle or from going to any business where alcohol is served or sold.
The evening of Aug. 7, 2012 Hudson was allegedly traveling south in a blue minivan on Juanita Drive when a woman in a car following her called 911 to report Hudson’s erratic driving and failure to stop for a stop sign. While on the phone with dispatch, the woman witnessed Hudson cross the center line “as though to pass traffic” and hit a silver Toyota Prius head-on, according to charging documents.
The crash occurred near Fire Station 25 in Kirkland and firefighters were first on the scene. Three people in separate cars behind the Prius, and a second car behind the minivan, also witnessed the crash, the documents continued.
Emergency personnel had to cut open the Prius, which was completely off the roadway to get the victims out of the vehicle. Parsons, who was sitting behind Kamm, died on scene, court documents state.
When officers approached the blue minivan to question Hudson, they noticed signs of intoxication, including the smell of alcohol on her breath, droopy, watery, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, the documents continued.
Hudson allegedly told officers that prior to driving she had taken an anti-anxiety medication with wine, according to police documents.
Kamm and Jenny Grieshaber were transported to Harborview in critical condition. Kamm had internal bleeding, while Grieshaber sustained a broken neck. Daniel J. Grieshaber was transported to Evergreen Hospital with a broken arm, among other injuries.
Assistant Editor Matt Phelps contributed to this report.
