Man charged for hitting trick-or-treater with truck in Tacoma

A Tacoma man has been charged in Pierce County Superior Court with vehicular assault after he allegedly struck a 7-year-old trick-or-treater with his truck.

“The defendant admitted to police he had been drinking and smoking marijuana,” said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “We won’t know the quantities until we get results from the crime lab.”

“At this time the child is in the hospital, listed as critical, but stable,” he said.

Kasey Gunnarson, 38, has been charged after the collision. He reportedly told officers he had gotten off of work earlier that night and had been drinking and smoking pot before he drove. Gunnerson’s bail was set at $20,000. If he makes bail, he is ordered to wear an ankle monitor with an alcohol sensor.

The 7-year-old girl was allegedly struck by Gunnarson’s truck. She was holding her father’s hand at the time. She was sent to a local hospital with a fractured skull, missing teeth and bruises from head to toe.

“The victim was trick-or-treating with a large group of children,” Lindquist said. “The group was observed stepping out into the street, looking both ways and proceeding forward. Then the defendant’s car apparently came around a corner fast and hit the child who was at the back of the group of children.”

“There were several witnesses at the scene, including an off-duty police officer who stayed with the defendant at the scene until police arrived,” he said.

The News Tribune reports that Gunnarson revved his engine as if he was attempting to flee after the incident. A neighbor got in front of his truck and would not let him move. He also reportedly tried to get out of the truck, but another neighbor pulled a gun on him and held him at the scene until police arrived.

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