Man charged with vehicular assault for allegedly hitting Tacoma trick or treater

TACOMA – A man pleaded not guilty to vehicular assault Tuesday after allegedly hitting a trick or treater with his SUV on Monday night.

Kasey Gunnarson allegedly hit a 7-year-old boy near the corner of N. 9th and N. I St., sending the child to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital with critical injuries. The boy suffered a fractured skull, missing teeth, and “abrasions from head to toe.”

Tacoma police said Gunnarson smelled strongly of alcohol, and that he admitted smoking marijuana and drinking before the collision. Police said they found marijuana in Gunnarson’s pocket when they searched him.

Toxicology tests are pending.

According to court documents, one witness said she “heard a crunch” when the car hit the boy.

The same witness said that after Gunnarson’s Toyota 4Runner hit the child, she saw “the SUV keep going for a bit until people stopped it.”

Gunnarson’s bail was set at $25,000.