Recently acquired traffic camera footage captures the tragic moment when the driver of a sports car in Bellevue tragically lost control, resulting in an accident that claimed the life of her passenger.
The driver, Ting Ye, who is 26 years old, has been charged with vehicular homicide. However, the police have stated that he has left the country for China and is facing charges of vehicular homicide, as per WFAA.
Suspect Flees to China Amid Vehicular Homicide Charges
However, she has left the United States for her home country, China, complicating the legal proceedings. The newly obtained traffic camera footage paints a grim picture of the incident that occurred on September 30.
He was allegedly behind the wheel of a white sports car, recklessly speeding at over 90 mph before losing control and crashing the vehicle near 108th Ave NE and SR 520 in Bellevue.
The catastrophic crash left her Porsche 911 mangled and in ruins. Tragically, her passenger, 27-year-old Yabao Liu, lost his life in the accident. It remains unclear what their relationship was, but records indicate that both Ye and Liu were in Washington for work and were originally from China.
One of the concerning aspects of the case is the suspicion that alcohol played a role in the accident. Court documents reveal that a first responder noted a "strong odor of alcohol coming from the defendant's breath" following the crash, adding a disturbing dimension to the tragedy.
What compounds the gravity of the situation is Ting Ye's swift departure from the country shortly after the accident. It is believed that she was released from Harborview Medical Center with minor injuries and promptly crossed the border into Canada before ultimately fleeing to China, according to Mail Online.
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Evading Vehicular Homicide Charges in King County
This escape occurred just before the King County prosecuting attorney's office filed a charge of vehicular homicide against her. With Ting Ye no longer in the United States, her case has been elevated and transferred to the US Department of Justice.
Unfortunately, the absence of an extradition agreement between the US and China means that the Chinese government is not obligated to compel Ye to return to the United States for legal proceedings.
This legal loophole has raised concerns about the possibility of justice being served in this tragic case. In Washington, vehicular homicide carries a sentence ranging from six-and-a-half years to eight-and-a-half years in jail, underscoring the seriousness of the charges against Ye.
As the legal process unfolds, the victim's family and authorities are left grappling with the frustration of a fugitive suspect who has eluded arrest. Former US Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, offers a glimmer of hope for justice, noting that while Ye has managed to evade the arrest warrant, she could face apprehension if she ever travels to a country with an extradition treaty with the United States.
Interpol could flag her upon entry into such a country, potentially leading to her extradition back to the United States. Bellevue Police Department's Public Information Officer, Seth Tyler, emphasized the urgency of Ye's return, stating, "We need her to come back to speak with us."
She has a warrant in the system, and if she ever tries to enter the United States, she will be immediately arrested, Yahoo News reported.