Driver charged with vehicular homicide in cabbie's death

AUBURN -- The driver involved in the crash that killed a taxi driver in Auburn was charged Wednesday with vehicular homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless endangerment.

Charging documents say Floyd Duane Gonzales, 29, had been drinking before the accident.

Brian Love, 56, was killed when Gonzales allegedly ran a red light in his white SUV and barreled into the driver's side door of his cab early July 5.  Love, who was just getting off his shift, was killed instantly.

Police say Gonzalez took off running and was caught a block away.  According to charging documents, he admitted to police he'd been drinking, and told them he was being chased after a drug deal gone bad.  Police said he passed out while police were interviewing him after the crash.

The reckless endangerment charge is for putting the life of his female passenger at risk.

Gonzales is being held in King County Jail on $1 million bail.