BELLEVUE, Wash. — A nationwide warrant is out for a woman charged with vehicular homicide who fled to China.
Court documents show shortly before 4 a.m. on September 30th Ting Ye was driving 27-year-old Yabao Liu in her Porsche going more than 90 miles per hour when she crashed near SR 520 in Bellevue.
First responders reported smelling alcohol on her breath. Liu died on scene and Ye was injured and taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Court documents show both Ye and Liu were from China and were in Seattle for work.
Documents report that Ye refused to provide police with information about Liu. Police were able to find the Chinese company he worked for to notify his family.
Bellevue police said Ye was discharged from the hospital on October 6th. The hospital did not notify the police, but officers noted they were not required to.
Bellevue police said someone helped Ye cross over the Canadian border where she got on a plane to China. Police said the person who helped her could face consequences and are currently investigating.
A few days after she was discharged from the hospital, King County prosecutors charged Ye with vehicular homicide and set bail at $2 million.
Charging documents show bail conditions included Ye to turn over her passport and said she had no ties to the community.
“For prosecutors, the details don't change. We think there is evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt and wherever the defendant is that doesn't change,” Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors said Ye did not show up for an arraignment on October 23rd and a warrant was issued.
There is no extradition treaty with China, but the nationwide warrants mean if Ye tried to come back to the U.S. it would be flagged.
“When there's a defendant with a warrant, speaking generally, it is not something that expires over time or is forgotten about, this is something that will stick,” McNerthney said.
Bellevue police said it's working with federal partners to bring Ye back.
According to King County Prosecutors vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, felony DUI, and hit and run resulting in death cases are on the rise.
Prosecutors said the number of those types of cases they charged has continually increased since the pandemic. In 2022, 745 people were killed on Washington roads. So far this year, King County has 147 open cases.
"What that means is our felony traffic unit is seeing a huge caseload but we also have very dedicated prosecutors in that unit trying to get accountability and these cases before the courts when we can," McNerthney said.