Kirkland man pleads guilty in DUI crash that killed two Federal Way teens

From staff reports:

The man accused of driving drunk and killing two Decatur High School seniors just days before their June 2010 graduation has pleaded guilty as charged Wednesday to two counts of vehicular homicide.

Kirkland resident Alexander Peder faces up to 102 months (eight and a half years) in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 25, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office.

Decatur seniors Derek King, 18, Nicholas Hodgins, 18, and Anthony Beaver, 19, were driving south on I-5, coming home June 9 after a celebration for their high school graduation, which was to take place June 12.

Just south of State Route 518, Beaver’s 1986 Honda Civic became disabled in the second lane. Beaver activated his emergency flashers and called 911. Peder had struck the back of the Civic with his 1998 Ford Explorer, pushing it forward, rotating it 180 degrees. The back of the car was almost completely obliterated. King, who was in the right rear passenger seat, was declared dead at the scene. Hodgins, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where the next day he was pronounced dead after being taken off life support. Beaver suffered lacerations to the back of his head and side of his face, and had multiple stitches.

A Washington State Trooper found a half full (a fifth) bottle of Pearl vodka in Peder's vehicle. A receipt showed the alcohol had been purchased six hours before at 4:30 p.m. The receipt also showed the purchase of two smaller bottles of tequila.

Click here to read more about the case.

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