Sammamish woman pleads not guilty to charges in crash that killed husband, son-in-law in home

SAMMAMISH  -- The woman accused of driving through her Sammamish home and killing her husband and son-in-law pleaded not guilty to the charges Thursday.

Carol Fedigan, who prosecutors said is addicted to alcohol, was released on $100,000 bail. Her next court date is Feb. 5.

Prosecutors say that Fedigan had been drinking wine and had taken the sleeping aid Ambien when she went outside the home to move her SUV. She had her 3-year-old grandson on her lap.

But instead of backing up, the SUV accelerated and plowed through the home. The SUV continued onto the patio, down some stairs and over a deck before plunging nose-first into Lake Sammamish, on the other side of the house.



“We were traumatized big-time,” said Mary Walker, the sister of Carol Fedigan's husband, David Fedigan.

David was hit and killed. Carol Fedigan's son-in-law, Sean Berry, was also struck and later died at the hospital.

Her grandson wasn`t hurt, but Fedigan’s daughter, Megan Berry, was severely injured. Megan was inside the courtroom as her mother pleaded not guilty to four separate charges, including vehicular homicide.

“He had so much to live for, you know?” Walker said.

Prosecutors told the court Fedigan is addicted to alcohol. Walker told Q13 FOX News that her brother tried to get Fedigan help.

“He tried to get her into treatment two times that I know of; she was in complete denial,” Walker said.

Four hours after the crash, Fedigan's blood alcohol content was still a .091, prosecutors said.

Experts say the data from the SUV proves Fedigan had her foot on the gas pedal the entire time and only momentarily stepped on the brakes before she hit the lake.

“Despite the anger, the emotion, and the understandable desire to strike out at Mrs. Fedigan by the family of the victims -- and there are victims there is no question about that -- it`s still not a capital case,” defense attorney Jeffrey Robinson said.

Robinson said Fedigan had no criminal history and posed no flight risk so the judge reduced her bail to $100,000 and released her. But first he ordered her not to leave Western Washington or drink or drive.