20-year-old sentenced to more than 3 years for deadly 2025 Ballard hit-and-run
Sep 25, 2026, 6:15 PM
John “Ole” Ward was killed in a hit-and-run in Ballard. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The man accused in the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian in Ballard last year has been sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Prosecutors said 20-year-old David Tapia struck and killed 39-year-old John “Ole” Ward as he was walking through an intersection in February of 2025.
Both the prosecution and defense had agreed on a 31-month sentence. Ward’s mother did not.
“Today, however, we are here asking the court for accountability,” she said in court Friday. “We do not agree with the state’s recommendation at the bottom of the scale.”
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Ward’s last words were ‘Help me!’
Ward’s mother, who is from Arlington, according to KIRO 7, described the lasting pain of her son’s final moments.
“What remains especially difficult is knowing that Ollie was still able to cry out for help,” she said. “His last words were, ‘Help me! Help me!'”
Tapia pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony hit-and-run.
A judge sentenced him to 41 months behind bars.
Tapia allegedly posted on social media that he used a fake ID to buy pot and alcohol before the hit-and-run. The then-18-year-old was caught after bringing his truck in for repairs.
