Bail Set At $50,000 For Driver In Saturday's Hit & Run Accident On Lake Washington Boulevard

This just in from Dan Donohoe of the King County Prosecutor’s Office:

Suspected drunk driver in Renton hit and run — A bail hearing was held this afternoon for a 27-year-old Renton man arrested on investigation of on a pedestrian/bicycle pathway on Lake Washington Boulevard in Renton on Saturday morning. The Court set bail at $50,000. The deadline for a charging decision is July 11. Attached is a copy of the suspect information report from today’s hearing. 

According to the charging documents, the man is identified as Garrett Bakken of Renton.

Bakken drifted off the side of the road while driving south on Lake Washington Boulevard on the morning Saturday June 7. He first struck a guardrail and street sign. Instead of stopping his car, Bakken continued to drive and swerved off the road, striking Rosalind M. Hall, 53, as she walked in the pedestrian lane.

One eyewitness estimated that Bakken struck Hall at about 40-35 mph, according to the charging document.

After hitting Hall, Bakken continued to drive. He returned to the scene 3-4 minutes later and told officers, "I think I must have fallen asleep," and "I can't believe I might have hit someone."

Officers searched his car and found a half-full bottle of single malt scotch whiskey, which fell out of the passenger door when opened by an officer.

Bakken was reportedly heading home from a friend's house when the accident occurred and denied leaving the scene, saying he turned around at the next stop sign.

A Portable Breath Test showed Bakken had a blood alcohol level of .157. 

Hall was transported to Harboview immediately after the accident with serious injuries.