Fatal crash suspect on the run, victims frustrated with police

19-year-old Alfredo Navarro Jr. III (Photo: WSP)



MOUNT VERNON, Wash. -- The suspect in a fatal car crash that killed three people in Skagit County is on the run.

The Washington State Patrol says a $1 million warrant has been issued for 19-year-old Alfredo Navarro Jr. III.

Investigators said Navarro’s family checked him out of Harborview Medical Center last weekend, but one of the victim’s families is outraged that authorities weren’t watching his hospital room.

“They’re never going to get closure for this, whether he’s found or not,” said Jamie Young.

Young is heartbroken over the death of her cousin, 23-year-old Nicole Washington.

Washington and two others were killed in a horrifying crash on Highway 20 near Sedrow Woolley back in May.



Prosecutors say Alfredo Navarro caused the crash, and that he was high on alcohol and marijuana.

Navarro broke his arm and leg in the accident – but cops were not guarding his hospital room when police say his parents checked him out last weekend.

“I don’t understand how somebody can’t be on top of this,” said Young.

But police say Navarro’s injuries were so severe, they didn’t think he would be released.

“We didn’t believe that he was going to be released prior to this weekend,” said Keith Leary with the Washington State Patrol. “It sounds like he still has extensive injuries.”



Navarro is no stranger to law enforcement; he faced prior charges of DUI and eluding police in 2012. Those charges were later dropped.

But Young believes Navarro’s past should have been a red flag, and that police should have been posted outside his hospital room.

“I don’t see how they don’t think that three lives don’t make sense to keep one person watched until he goes out and does it again,” said Young. “No one else should have to go through this.”

Prosecutors have charged Navarro with three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of vehicular assault.

Police hope someone knows where Navarro is located, and that someone will turn him in.