Seattle attorney not surprised by DUI driver’s not guilty vehicular homicide plea
Apr 12, 2013, 7:41 AM | Updated: 12:14 pm
Flowers are placed at the intersection of NE 75th Street and 33rd Ave NE in Seattle, near the accident that killed Judy and Dennis Schulte and injuring their daughter-in-law Karina and grandson Elias. (KIRO Radio Photo/Linda Thomas)
(KIRO Radio Photo/Linda Thomas)
A King County judge believes suspected drunk driver Mark Mullan is such a danger to the community that he is being held on $2.5 million bail.
Mullan, 50, is accused of running down and killing Dennis and Judith Schulte and critically injuring the couple’s daughter-in-law Karina and their 10 day old grandson Elias.
According to police, his blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when he ran the four down on 75th Street in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood March 25.
Mullan has prior DUI convictions, and he’s been arrested for the crime several other times.
Seattle attorney Anne Bremner isn’t surprised by Mullan’s not guilty plea to charges of vehicular homicide and assault. She says that’s just standard practice at arraignment.
“It’s hard to say what the defense would be in this case; it’s kind of standard technical defenses on the breathalyzer itself, on probable cause – things like that. But given his horrific history and given the circumstances of this particular case, it may well be a case where he tries to work out an arrangement with the prosecutor, short of say, 19 years in prison.”
Bremner’s not sure if the prosecutor’s office will be interested in a plea, considering Mullan’s history and the high-profile nature of this case.
“This case really shocked the community. It’s the kind of case where you have people down at the legislator saying ‘Let’s change things. This can’t happen.’ So these are not the kinds of cases that end up with plea bargains, necessarily,” says Bremner.
The legislature did have emergency hearings this week to bring back some DUI-related bills. But can the courts do more to protect the public when repeat drunk drivers return on more charges?
“Why not say ‘Get an interlock’? Why not check on whether or not they have one? He was ordered to have one but didn’t. Why not make sure that early in his procedures we ensure public safety?” asks Bremner.
Mullan could face 15 to 19 years in prison, if he’s convicted in this case.
Karina Schulte and her infant son remain at Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.
