Hundreds march in memorial for Seattle DUI victims
Apr 1, 2013, 4:44 PM | Updated: 6:59 pm
One week after a repeat drunk driver smashed into a family crossing the street in North Seattle hundreds of community members took to the streets in their honor.
Dennis Schulte, 66, and his wife, 68-year-old Judith Schulte, were killed last Monday when a pickup truck driven by Mark W. Mullan, 50, plowed into them as they crossed NE 75th St near Eckstien Middle School. Their daughter-in-law, Karina Schulte, and 10-day-old grandson were also hit and remain in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn joined family members, friends and well-wishers for the afternoon march, which organizers said was intended to honor the victims and push for safer streets.
“We support the goals of Seattle’s Road Safety Action Plan to achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries by taking action,” said Andres Salomon with Seattle Greenways. “With more effective public policy, better engineering, stricter enforcement and more responsive education, thousands of deaths and injuries can be prevented.”
An online fundraiser to help the family cover medical expenses has raised nearly $50,000 towards a goal of $75,000.
As on Monday afternoon, Mullan remained jailed on $2.5 million bail and has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault and reckless driving. According to court documents, his blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was 0.22, nearly three times the legal limit.
Mullan has been convicted multiple times for DUI and had a case pending from a Christmas Day arrest in Snohomish County. Against a court order, prosecutors say he was driving without a valid license or ignition interlock device when he hit the Schulte family.
