Bail set at $300,000 for SeaTac man in I-5 'road rage' crash that killed 1, injured 3

SEATTLE — A judge found probable cause Friday to hold a 30-year-old SeaTac man for investigation of vehicular homicide stemming from a "road rage" I-5 crash that killed one person and injured three Wednesday night near Boeing Field.

Joseph Gumser was ordered held in King County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail.

"The defendant was involved in a road rage incident where he and another suspect were engaged in reckless behavior while operating their motor vehicles (flashing high-beams, brake checking, following too closely, speeding)," the probable cause document said.

"The defendant slammed on his brakes while the other suspect's vehicle was directly behind him, which caused the other suspect to collide into the rear of the defendant's vehicle. A passenger in the other suspect's vehicle was found deceased at the scene due to injuries," it said.

"The defendant had slurred speech, bloodshot watery eyes and the odor of intoxicants on his breath. The defendant admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages while at a baseball game."

Another car slammed into the two crashed vehicles, causing injuries to two people in that car.

A sample of Gumser's blood was taken and sent to the state lab for testing to determine his blood alcohol level.

The driver of the other suspect vehicle was injured and is currently in Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, the document said.

A Washington State Patrol trooper wrote that the incident began at about 10:36 p.m. Wednesday. He wrote that both "vehicles were engaging in dangerous behavior that appeared to be triggered initially because the other driver was entering the highway driving approximately 10 mph and being erratic while Gumser flashed his lights and drove close to his bumper."

"Once on the highway, the other driver began tailgating Gumser who slammed on his brakes in an apparent attempt to intimidate the other driver."

"Gumser was then seen pulling alongside the other car and veering toward it such that the other car had to take evasive action to avoid a crash and drove onto the shoulder.

"The other car then caught up to Gumser and was again tailgating him. Gumser slammed on his brakes and the other car was unable to avoid rear-ending Gumser's vehicle," the trooper wrote.

The 21-year-old driver of the other suspect car was not immediately identified. The passenger who died in his car was earlier identified as Andrea Dickey, 23, of Centralia.