A 19-year-old man has been charged in the hit-and-run that killed 39-year-old Richard John “Ole” Ward in February.
Ward was crossing the street at NW Market St and 15th Ave NW around 1:20 a.m. on February 1, 2025 when he was struck by someone driving a black pickup truck. According to his family, the driver ran a red light while Ward had the right of way in the crosswalk, throwing him 75 feet upon impact.
Ward’s family was working with Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound to find the driver and was offering a $5,000 reward for information.
The person charged is David Arellano-Tapia, and he was 18 at the time of the incident. He pleaded not guilty to the felony hit-and-run charges in court on November 19.
Seattle police confirmed that Arellano-Tapia was discovered when he brought his truck into a body shop in Auburn, claiming he had hit a pole. The employees recognized the vehicle by the missing “G” on the front grill and reported it to the police. When Tapia returned on April 4 to pick up the truck, police were waiting with a search warrant to seize the vehicle and his phone.
Arellano-Tapia’s trial is scheduled for February.
Photo: SPD