Bail set at $500k for man accused of causing deadly crash in Pierce County

A judge set bail at $500,000 for a man who was allegedly driving under the influence and crashed his car on Wednesday, killing one of his passengers. 

Witnesses told investigators that they saw a vehicle speeding, driving erratically and passing other vehicles shortly before it crashed into a barrier on SR-509 at I-705 in Tacoma. 

When first responders arrived, they found a woman on the ground, 15 feet away from the vehicle, and covered in a blanket. She was pronounced dead at the scene. 

According to court documents, 26-year-old Johiadia Sealey said he was trying to use the off-ramp but took it too quickly and crashed

Another passenger in the vehicle ran off and Sealey remained at the crash. 

Troopers performed a voluntary field sobriety test on Sealy and said he exhibited six out of six signs of intoxication. The trooper also noted that Sealey had bloodshot, watery eyes, the "odor of intoxicants" on his breath and slurred speech, according to court documents. 

Sealey was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide.

A judge agreed to set bail at $500,000 because, according to them, Sealey had been involved in a DUI crash just three weeks prior. The Aberdeen Daily World reports that the crash occurred near Elma on Highway 12 on Jan. 12. 

More charges could be brought against Sealey if the third passenger's injuries "rise to the level of substantial bodily harm." 

He has plead not guilty to the vehicular homicide charge.