SHORELINE, Wash. — A Shoreline family is mourning the death of 45-year-old Diane Marx, who was killed by a suspected drunk driver on Tuesday.
Marx was driving her two daughters to soccer practice when the suspect, 27-year-old Aiden Ott, allegedly blew through a red light with no headlights on, hitting Marx's car, court documents say. The daughters sustained some injuries but are expected to recover physically. Diane did not survive.
Ott was officially charged with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and felony hit and run in a King County Superior court on Friday. His bail is set at $300,000.
"Nobody thinks this is going to happen. And when it does, it feels like a nightmare,” said Heather Falkin, a friend of the Marx family.
Falkin said Marx's death leaves behind a giant hole, impossible to fill for her husband Scott and their two daughters.
"This is a couple that were soulmates and had a very deep love for each other. That is pretty rare,” said Falkin.
"The impact that it is going to put on my brother, his children, for the holidays forever,” said Marx’s sister-in-law, Nikki Devine.
Marx’s family and friends describe her as a loving and devoted mother to her two daughters.
“She loved unconditionally. She was always smiling in every room, no matter what the circumstances were, she was the smile,” said Devine.
Marx loved to crochet gifts for people, and her laugh was contagious, friends and family say.
“She was just a really giving person, really humble and giving. And you know, we're just going to really miss her,” Falkin said.
Court documents allege Ott ran from the scene of the crash and was chased by witnesses before he was tracked down by police.
Investigators said he smelled of alcohol and admitted to taking Adderall and drinking earlier in the day, court documents say.
Toxicology report results are still pending.
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The Marx family can't help but think about how Diane's death was avoidable. They warn others as we head into the holiday season to think twice before getting behind the wheel.
“Take a moment before you get behind the wheel, because it only takes a second to make a phone call and get a ride and, and just not make the choice that could potentially be life-threatening for somebody and completely change the course of another person's life, which has happened here,” Falkin told KING 5.
Now, less than a week from Thanksgiving the family is left with just memories.
"Her smile and her laughter filled the room. So I think my message would be, go home, love your family. If there are people out there you are thinking of and want to reach out to now is the time, now is the time because nobody is promised tomorrow, nobody is promised five minutes from now,” said Devine.
There is an online fundraising page set up for the Marx family as they recover from the crash, and deal with the lasting impacts of their loss. So far, it has raised over $100,000.