Dori: Repeat offender on ‘house arrest’ while his victim’s family deliberates medical life support

Less than a month after a repeat offender allegedly mangled a Kent man’s car, leaving the victim paralyzed and comatose, the victim’s family must now decide whether to allow doctors to remove him from medical life support.

Antonio Soto told The Dori Monson Show that his brother, Ricardo Ruiz Corona, 55, remains in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center, where staff gave their family “a few days” to make the choice.

“It is heartbreaking for my family right now,” Soto told Dori and his listeners on Tuesday. “My parents flew in from Mexico to be with him. There are no words.”

Soto told Dori that his brother “never harmed anybody. He was a hardworking man” who sent money from his paychecks to his parents in Mexico, Soto continued. “One of his hobbies was to ride horses. That was his thing.”

Meanwhile, Soto said, Corona’s family is “very disappointed about the judge” – King County District Court Judge Pro Tem Justin Walsh – who ignored King County prosecutor’s request to hold Bowser on $100,000 bail after the collision. Instead, Walsh assigned Bowser an electronic ankle monitor and released him to “house arrest.”

Corona suffered spinal fractures and a vascular tear in his neck after he “trapped and twisted in his vehicle” when the Toyota he was driving was allegedly rear-ended by Shawn Cantrell Bowser, 43, according to Kent police reports.

Bowser, also known as Shaun Bowser, has a criminal history – including two DUIs – dating back to 1995. In 2020, Bowser pleaded guilty to reckless driving after racing with two other vehicles at speeds of up to 129 mph on Interstate 5.

In last month’s case, the King County Prosecutor’s charging papers claim police at the scene found a bottle of vodka in Bowser’s vehicle and a loaded 9-mm handgun in the defendant’s pocket.

With Bowser’s release, it was the third time in a week that Walsh had been on the bench and released suspects considered by prosecutors to be dangerous. Walsh’s social media posts indicate he is interested in a full-time appointment; currently, his role is temporary.

“I guess his job is to judge (but) this guy is not doing his job,” Soto told Dori. “We are very disappointed when you let criminals go free.”

Lab results from Bowser’s blood-alcohol test have not yet been released, Dori said. It’s possible that prosecutors could re-file charges to include vehicular homicide if Corona dies. It is clearly on Soto’s mind.

“This guy,” he said, “has to pay for what he did to my brother.”

Update May 2

Ricardo passed away Friday. Charges against Bowser have been escalated to vehicular manslaughter.

Donate to the funeral and medical expenses for Ricardo Ruiz here. 

Listen to Dori’s entire interview with the car crash victim’s brother:

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