SEATTLE — The man responsible for causing a fatal bus crash in Seattle pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and driving without a license.
Adam Abelson, 32, caused the crash that subsequently killed 28-year-old Amanda Schneider, who was walking on a sidewalk in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood.
As part of the July 31 plea agreement, Abelson will face just over 13 years in prison. His official sentencing date is scheduled for Sept. 9. According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, the statewide standard for a vehicular homicide sentence is between 146 and 194 months. Abelson is set to receive a sentence in the middle of that range, 158 months or 13.16 years.
Abelson was driving at "highway speeds" in a 25 mph zone leading up to the Nov. 4 crash, according to court documents. He ran a red light, crashed into the front bumper of a Prius and slammed into the Metro bus.
Schnieder, who was standing on the sidewalk about to cross the street, was hit by the bus and thrown into a building. She died immediately.
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 taken to Harborview Medical Center. He was discharged on Nov. 17, according to the hospital, and 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 in his written plea, he admitted he was "under the influence of fentanyl and a cocaine metabolite."
Abelson was initially charged with reckless driving in addition to vehicular homicide and driving without a license in November, but that was not part of the July 31 plea agreement.