Rita Hulsman’s husband Steve was killed December 21 when a man allegedly driving with a suspended license turned left in front of him while he was biking on Marine View Drive SW at 46th Ave SW. Now, in addition to mourning her loss, Rita is also “dismayed and deeply saddened” that King County Prosecutors are not pursuing charges against the person responsible and Seattle is considering “only minimal charges,” according to a letter she sent recently to officials in the Seattle City Attorney and King County Prosecutor offices, among others. She also sent a copy to Seattle Bike Blog, posted below.
No charges have yet been filed, according to city and county court databases. Seattle Bike Blog policy is to not name suspects until they have been publicly charged. The police report alleges that the 53-year-old suspect was driving a vehicle without a legally-required ignition interlock device due to a history of DUI convictions from years ago. Officers only conducted a visual sobriety check and did not take a breathalyzer reading or draw blood for lab testing. Officers cited the suspect for negligent driving in the second degree and driving with a suspended license.
Despite the serious injuries, the Seattle Police Traffic Collision Investigation Squad did not assign a detective until learning of his death a few hours later, after the scene was cleared and on-site evidence was gone. Scenes of serious collisions are often closed for as much as several hours as investigators process the scene, but that did not appear to happen here. Instead, the detective used responding officer reports and footage from officer-worn cameras to piece together a collision report. In the report, the man admitted he did not see Hulsman before turning even though the person making the same turn before him did see Hulsman thanks to his bicycle headlight. Despite all this, the investigator concluded, “I did not find any evidence of criminal driving behavior (e.g. reckless, impaired) by [the suspect] that contributed to this collision.”
Police can recommend charges, but the decision about what charges (if any) to file ultimately falls to the King County Prosecutor for felony-level crimes or the City Attorney for lower-level crimes.
“I know that filing more serious charges against the driver will not bring my husband back to me,” Rita wrote in her letter. “But this driver clearly should not have been behind the wheel on the day my husband died. And to allow the driver to skate by without taking meaningful responsibility for the collision that ended my husband’s life is unjust to my husband and to all of us who mourn him.”
On top of all this, Rita recently received a slew of medical bills for Steve’s unfortunately short stay in the hospital following the collision because the suspect was driving without insurance. At the urging of friends, she started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover these costs. The total was up to $19,000 as of press time. In an update Sunday, Rita said that their medical insurance will be able to cover most of the bills after all, which is at least one weight off her shoulders. She said remaining funds will go to “programs that support cycling awareness and safety.”
Below is Rita’s letter:
Regarding: Case #2023-366160, date 12/21/2023
Dear Ms. Davison et al,
I am the widow of Steve Hulsman. Just over two months ago, I lost my dear husband and best friend when he was struck and killed by a left-turning vehicle in our neighborhood in West Seattle while riding his bicycle. As you no doubt understand, I am heartbroken by losing Steve so suddenly and unexpectedly. And I am just as heartbroken every time I think about the many others who are also devastated by his death including our three grown children, our young grandson, Steve’s seven brothers and sisters and their families, as well as my five siblings and their families and our many neighbors and friends.
In addition to the deep sense of loss I feel constantly, my heartbreak deepens every time I think about the life-ending injuries Steve suffered as a result of this collision. It is especially horrifying to me because, as I understand it, the driver of the vehicle involved in the collision was unlicensed, has many previous driving violations on his record, was supposed to–but didn’t–have an interlock device on his car, and he had no auto insurance. And yet, I have recently learned that the City of Seattle is considering filing only minimal charges against the driver. I am also dismayed and deeply saddened to learn that King County is declining to file any charges at all against this driver.
I know that filing more serious charges against the driver will not bring my husband back to me. But this driver clearly should not have been behind the wheel on the day my husband died. And to allow the driver to skate by without taking meaningful responsibility for the collision that ended my husband’s life is unjust to my husband and to all of us who mourn him. Furthermore, I have little doubt that, given the driver’s previous record and behavior, it is likely he will continue to drive, suspended license or not, insured or not, and he could injure or kill another innocent person.
I therefore respectfully ask you to reconsider your plans to bring only minimal charges or none at all against him. I also request that I and any other family members who feel the need to submit statements about how Steve’s death has affected us be informed of how, where, and when to do so.
Yours truly,
Rita Hulsman
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