Woman charged with vehicular homicide in death of tow-truck driver

A Seattle woman, who authorities say struck and killed a tow-truck driver after she swerved across five lanes of traffic while on Interstate 5 early Friday morning, was charged Wednesday with vehicular homicide and hit and run.

Shavelle Lewis was driving with a suspended license when she struck and killed William Padilla, 51, at 1:26 a.m., said charging documents filed in King County Superior Court. Padilla was kneeling on the ground next to a disabled vehicle on the entrance ramp from Spokane Street to southbound I-5 when he was struck.

After the crash, Lewis did a U-turn and drove away, charging papers said. Troopers found Lewis and her 31-year-old passenger nearby, charging papers said.

Troopers said that Lewis smelled of alcohol and had watery, bloodshot eyes, charging papers said. Lewis told investigators that she had a glass of wine that night. Results of a blood-alcohol draw are still being evaluated by the state crime lab, the charging papers said.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Amy Freedheim said in charging documents that Lewis has convictions for prostitution, hit and run and drug crimes, and has been sought on 14 arrest warrants since 2008. Two days before the collision she was arrested on warrants, and was released from custody the day before the crash, Freedheim said.

Lewis was arrested on Friday, but after the State Patrol failed to submit the necessary court paperwork by the deadline set by state statute she was released on Tuesday. A judge on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant.

Freedheim is asking that Lewis be held on $150,000 bail once she is rearrested.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com