Chase Daniel Jones, a 19-year-old from Washington state, has admitted guilt to several felony charges, including vehicular homicide, in connection with a fatal car crash that resulted in four deaths. Jones initially refuted the charges while recuperating from his injuries sustained in the accident that occurred on March 19, 2024.
The devastating incident led to the demise of Andrea Hudson, 38, who was driving the van that Jones collided with, and three young passengers: Boyd “Buster” Brown, 12, Matilda Wilcoxson, 13, and Eloise Wilcoxson, 12. Hudson’s two children, Nolan and Charlotte, were also in the van and sustained serious injuries.
On April 4, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced that Jones had altered his plea, acknowledging guilt for all felony charges against him. The accident happened when Jones ran a red light at an intersection in his recently purchased 2015 Audi A4.
Court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate, KOMO, revealed that Jones was driving at a speed of 112 mph in a 40 mph zone at the time of the accident and made no attempt to slow down. Eyewitnesses reported that Jones was speeding, maneuvering through traffic, and using the shared turn lane to pass other vehicles before the collision.
The documents also disclosed that this was the third car Jones had totaled due to speeding within 11 months. Despite this, he was not penalized by the police for the previous two incidents. The 2024 collision was recorded on surveillance cameras, and the footage was included in KOMO’s coverage.
Jones suffered severe injuries in the crash, including broken arms and legs, and needed a breathing tube during his recovery. After being released from the hospital, he was taken into custody.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that Jones’ plea included all felony charges against him, including four counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault. King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion stated that the office would not have accepted anything less than a guilty plea on all felony counts.
The victims’ families were present during the plea agreement and expressed their support for it. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25 and remains in custody at the Maleng Regional Justice Center.