Former Seattle Seahawk Derrick Coleman has been charged with vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run in connection with an October crash in Bellevue.
Former Seattle Seahawk Derrick Coleman has been charged with vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run in connection with an October crash in Bellevue.
The driver of the other vehicle, a 56-year-old man, suffered a broken collarbone when his car flipped over, according to the charges. Coleman, 25, is scheduled to be arraigned June 16 at the King County Courthouse. If convicted of both charges, Coleman could face between 12 to 14 months in jail.
Bellevue police say Coleman claimed to have smoked “spice,” a synthetic designer drug with effects similar to marijuana, charging papers say.
Coleman told officers he had smoked about an hour before the collision. Police found an opened plastic packet labeled “F’d up” and two unopened packets labeled “Mad Pitbulls” in the truck’s cab.
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A toxicology report confirmed that the substances were synthetic marijuana, but also said that neither is illegal under Washington drug classifications.
According to the charges: Traffic cameras in Bellevue showed Coleman driving slowly through an intersection. Five minutes later, witnesses saw Coleman accelerate in the 35-mph zone, and witnesses said he was shifting lanes erratically before crashing into the back of the vehicle. Police say Coleman was traveling at speeds greater than 60 mph and did not apply his brakes.
Police say several witnesses described Coleman as “aggravated, delirious and incoherent” after the crash. According to charges, Coleman fled barefoot down the block and did not call 911. A police officer identified Coleman within 10 minutes of the crash, and Coleman told the officer he was trying to contact his agent. Police say Coleman, who is deaf, was able to understand their questions and cooperated.
Coleman told police that he had smoked “spice” around 5:30 p.m. in the Lakemont neighborhood, which police say is inconsistent with the evidence they gathered.
According to the charges, Coleman told police he felt fine and had no injures. Police gave Coleman a field sobriety test, and Coleman swayed, lost his balance and showed signs of impairment. At that point, the police arrested Coleman.
Police drew blood more than six hours after the crash, and tests didn’t reveal any of the drugs Coleman admitted to taking.
Coleman’s defense attorneys have been sharply critical of Bellevue Police Chief Stephen Mylett’s decision to release the initial investigation report and to hold a news conference to answer questions.
Mylett cited state public-records laws that require police to release investigative records if a case has been referred to a prosecutor for a charging decision. The State Supreme Court in 2010 affirmed that police records are public and may not be withheld, even in the face of claims that disclosure threatens the suspect’s right to a fair trial.
Coleman became a fan favorite during the Seahawks’ 2013 run to the Super Bowl with an inspirational story of having overcome a hearing impairment to emerge as the team’s starting fullback and a key special-teams player.
He lost most of his hearing around the age of 3 and uses hearing aids. His autobiography, “No Excuses,’’ detailing his journey to the NFL, was published last summer.
Coleman finished his third full season with the Seahawks last year and is now a restricted free agent.
Coleman was suspended by the Seahawks following the accident and sat out a game against Carolina on Oct. 18 as a result. He was inactive the following week because of a concussion suffered in the accident.
Seattle Times staff reporter Sara Jean Green contributed to this report.