SEATTLE — The suspect accused of causing a crash that killed a woman in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood on Nov. 4 pleaded not guilty on Monday to all three counts.
Adam Abelson, 31, faces counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and operating a vehicle without a license. His bail is set at $500,000.
Abelson was going at "highway speeds" in a 25 mph zone, according to court documents. He ran a red light and crashed into the front bumper of a Prius and slammed into the Metro bus.
Amanda Schnieder, 28, who was standing on the sidewalk about to cross the street, was hit by the bus and was thrown into a building. She suffered "catastrophic injuries" and died immediately at the scene.
The driver of the Prius was uninjured. The bus driver and eight passengers were taken to Harborview Medical Center. The bus driver was discharged about a week after the crash.
The suspect was found unconscious and was taken to Harborview Medical Center and was discharged on Nov. 17, according to the hospital. He was then booked into King County Jail once he was medically cleared.
At the time of the crash, drug paraphernalia was found in the passenger seat of Abelson's car and his blood is being drug tested. According to court documents, the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory is working on those results.
Abelson's criminal history includes four felonies and 17 gross misdemeanors, related to theft, a DUI, hit and run, and organized retail theft, according to the Washington State Patrol Criminal Records Division. He has over 50 warrants issued for his arrest in cities including Issaquah, Bellevue, Tacoma and Seattle.
His trial is set for January 2024 but is subject to change.