Judge sets $200,000 bail for driver in fatal Federal Way crash
Prosecutors expect to announce formal charges Wednesday after a 29-year-old man was arrested for killing a 16-year-old football player.
By Tyler Khalil ·
A 29-year-old man is being held on $200,000 bail following a crash in Federal Way that killed a 16-year-old high school football player. The driver appeared in court on Saturday, where a judge found probable cause to arrest him on suspicion of vehicular homicide.
The collision occurred just before 11 p.m. Friday at the intersection of South 304th Street and Pacific Highway. Police reported that two vehicles struck one another, sending one car onto the sidewalk. The vehicle then hit Dee-Jay Tuiasosopo, who was walking near the scene. The crash took place roughly a block from the field where Tuiasosopo had played in a football game earlier that evening.
The King County Prosecutor's Office stated that a formal charging decision is expected on Wednesday. Although the driver was originally scheduled to appear before a judge at the Kent Regional Justice Center on Monday, his next court appearance has been moved to later this week.
More than 100 people gathered over the weekend for a community vigil to honor Tuiasosopo, a Federal Way High School student-athlete. A memorial consisting of candles and flowers has grown at the intersection where he died. Tuiasosopo came from the prominent Tuiasosopo athletic family.
David Rodriguez, a friend and fellow student, described Tuiasosopo as a positive influence. "Even in like 'down times' like practice, no matter how bad it got, even in games, this guy was always positive," Rodriguez said. "Always laughing, always cracking jokes, and that's why everybody's out here, because they want to enjoy the memories that they had with him."
The Tuiasosopo family issued a statement expressing gratitude for the community support. They noted that Tuiasosopo prioritized both academics and athletics and genuinely cared for everyone he met. "His energy, light, and infectious presence reached far beyond what we as his family even realized," the family wrote. "Through this devastating tragedy, the family has learned just how many lives Dee-Jay touched."
