The Edmonds Police Department announced Tuesday afternoon that the City of Edmonds Prosecuting Attorneys Office would not be filing charges in the death of long-time Edmonds resident Ellie Bonanno, calling the 85-year-old woman’s death “a tragic accident.” Bonanno was walking in the 800 block of Walnut Street when she was hit by a vehicle headed east around 5 p.m. Jan. 20. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries and died three days later, on Jan. 23.
According to Edmonds police spokesman Sgt. Mark Marsh, once Edmonds traffic detectives completed their investigation, the case was referred to the prosecuting attorney’s office for review to determine if any charges were warranted against the driver, a 67-year-old Edmonds man. Marsh said the charging decision stated “that no evidence existed that the driver acted in a reckless or negligent manner, was impaired by drugs or alcohol or that he was speeding or that he had been distracted by phone, music or any other device. The driver simply stated that he did not see Ms. Bonanno.”
“The prosecutor reviewed the case and rendered a decision, concluding that ‘…the collision was a tragic accident. Having reviewed the evidence and extensive investigation conducted by the Edmonds Police Department, we do not recommend filing criminal or civil (infraction) charges against the driver.'”
The driver “was cooperative throughout the investigation,” Marsh said, adding that police have closed the case “at this time.”
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