• Metro deadly stabbing charges: Richard Sitzlack has been charged with second degree murder in the deadly stabbing of Metro driver Shawn Yim. The 53-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the charges which include a count of third degree assault. Yim was stabbed and killed in an overnight confrontation in the University District in mid-December that has led to increased calls for more to be done to protect drivers and riders on the city’s public transit systems. Prosecutors say Yim told Sitzlack to exit the coach after an argument about a window on the bus. Surveillance video showed Sitzlack allegedly pepper spraying Yim and the driver pursuing him out of the bus. The driver was stabbed repeatedly and died about a block away. Sitzlack is jailed on $5 million bail.
• Cop who hit and killed Jaahnavi Kandula fired: Two years after the deadly collision, the Seattle Police officer who struck and killed Jaahnavi Kandula as she crossed a South Lake Union street has been fired. Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr finalized the termination of Kevin Dave this week, citing the “poor decision” of the officer who investigators say struck and killed the 23-year-old as he sped to the scene of a reported overdose. The January 2023 incident had repercussions beyond the tragic death of the young woman as issues of accountability and community complicated negotiations over a new contract with the police officer union. Union leader, Seattle Police Department veteran, and former East Precinct officer Daniel Auderer was fired in July over his comments about Kandula caught on his body cam the night of her death. King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion has declined to press charges against Dave.
• No charges for driver in Capitol Hill van theft shooting: The delivery driver police say shot an alleged car thief in the chest during the theft of a delivery van from outside a Capitol Hill apartment building in December won’t face charges in the incident. Court records show Francisco Rodriguez Martinez faces a felony charge of auto theft in the early morning December 14th incident at the PIVOT apartment building on Pine. CHS reported here on the shooting as police said the delivery driver attempted to stop the Toyota Venza from being ripped off as he returned to the vehicle after delivering a package. According to the court documents, police said the driver told them he feared that he would be run over in the incident when he opened fire. Police found Martinez slumped over in the vehicle after the driver was able to use tracking to locate the van a few blocks away outside a downtown hotel. The suspect was rushed to the hospital and treated for the life-threatening gunshot wound. Court documents show Martinez lives in Bellevue and has no significant criminal history in national crime records. Police said the driver’s concealed pistol license was current and his 9mm Sig Sauer handgun was legally registered.

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