Who is Ting Ye? Porsche 911 driver flies off Washington state freeway at 100mph killing passenger
BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON: A high-speed tragedy on a Washington state freeway has left one man dead and raised questions about justice as the accused driver fled the country before facing charges, as per Daily Mail.
Ting Ye, a 26-year-old Porsche 911 driver, is facing allegations of causing a fatal accident while purportedly being under the influence of alcohol.
The incident, captured on recently obtained traffic camera footage, transpired at a high speed of 100mph, leaving the passenger, 27-year-old Yabao Liu, with no opportunity to evade the tragic consequences.
Ting Ye and Yabao Liu hailed from China
This harrowing incident unfolded on September 30 when Ye lost control of her Porsche 911, causing it to soar through the air near 108th Ave NE and SR 520 in Bellevue, Washington.
The severely damaged wreckage served as a testament to the catastrophic collision, raising immediate suspicions of alcohol impairment.
Liu, the passenger in Ye's car, sadly lost his life in the accident. Authorities have not revealed the nature of their relationship, leaving this aspect enshrouded in mystery.
Both Ye and Liu were documented as being in Washington for work-related reasons and originated from China, according to official records.
The crash's seriousness, coupled with the detection of alcohol on the defendant's breath, led the police to consider alcohol impairment as a probable contributing factor.
Ting Ye fled to China despite being charged with vehicular homicide
Ye managed to evade arrest and fled to her home country, China, despite being charged with vehicular homicide, a crime that typically carries a sentence between six-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half years in prison.
Her bail was set at a substantial $2 million, reflecting the gravity of the charges against her. She fled the United States shortly before the King County prosecuting attorney's office filed a formal charge of vehicular homicide and issued a warrant for her arrest.
The situation has escalated, with the case now in the hands of the US Department of Justice, as there is no extradition treaty in place between the United States and China.
This means that Beijing is not obligated to extradite Ting Ye to the United States for legal proceedings.
Former US Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, shed light on the situation, emphasizing that Ye's escape might not guarantee her long-term freedom. He remarked, "The story is not over," hinting that her international travels could still lead to her facing charges.
He added, "If she were to ever travel to another country, let's say to Europe on business or pleasure to an area, to a country that does have an extradition treaty with the United States, she'll be flagged when she enters that country by Interpol and subject to extradition back to the United States if the United States government so desires."
Bellevue Police Department investigates the crash
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with Bellevue Police Department's Public Information Officer Seth Tyler providing insights into the distressing aspects of the incident.
Tyler explained, "Based on the skid marks and evidence left at the scene, the car was going well in excess of 100 miles an hour. The vehicle hit the barrier there and was actually thrown into the air and hit the side of that bridge where it came to rest."
Additionally, the police expressed their astonishment at Ye's release from the hospital, which occurred without their awareness.
Officer Tyler revealed, "We were not notified by hospital personnel, my understanding is that she was not going to be released anytime soon due to her injuries, and so we were under the assumption she was going to remain at the hospital for some time."
He added, "The warrant was not yet in the system; she was at that point not prohibited from leaving the country, and so there was a delay, unfortunately."