SEATTLE — A verdict has been reached in the wrongful death trial related to a protestor who was killed on Interstate 5 in July 2020.
The state of Washington was not found to be negligent in the death of Summer Taylor, a King County jury determined Thursday. The jury did determine, however, that Taylor's family should be awarded $6 million in damages.
Washington State Patrol closed a section of I-5 for the protests. Investigators say Dawit Kelete was impaired and drove onto an offramp. He collided with the protesters, injuring one and killing Taylor.
On Thursday, the jury determined that Kelete was negligent and is the proximate cause of Taylor's death. Kelete pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and reckless driving in July 2023. He was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison in September 2023 and will be on 18 months of probation after serving his sentence.
Attorneys for The Estate of Summer Taylor argued they should be awarded $24 million, the same age Taylor was when they were struck and killed while protesting on I-5 in Seattle.
KING 5's Natalie Swaby contributed to this report.