Seattle police have taken Aboubacarr Singhateh back into custody, nearly two years after a downtown crash that killed a 74-year-old woman and injured several others. Detectives arrested the 27-year-old on April 3, 2026, after he completed treatment in a residential program, and booked him into the King County Jail. The move has reignited debate over how prosecutors juggle violent traffic cases and defendants' mental health needs.
Detectives Re-Take Suspect After Treatment
According to KOMO News, detectives with the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad coordinated with the treatment facility and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to arrest Singhateh after charges were refiled. He was then transported to the King County Jail and booked there, the outlet reports.
Prosecutors' Charging Documents Describe High-Speed Impact
Court documents say Singhateh was driving a heavy-duty pickup north on Fourth Avenue South and “fully accelerating” when he slammed into the back of a stopped taxi at South Washington Street. The impact speed was about 47 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to earlier reporting. Witnesses told investigators the truck was belching smoke as it tore through downtown, and investigators found no sign of braking before the collision, as reported by KIRO 7.
Victims And Emergency Response
Seattle Fire crews had to cut multiple passengers from the crushed taxi and rushed them to Harborview Medical Center. One passenger, identified in charging documents as 74-year-old Suzanne Blake, died from catastrophic injuries. Three women in their 70s suffered serious trauma, and a front-seat passenger was treated for internal injuries, according to HeraldNet. The taxi driver was also taken to Harborview, where he was listed in stable condition.
Charges, Competency And Treatment
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office first charged Singhateh with vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault on May 28, 2024. A court later found him incompetent to stand trial because of an unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder, and the case was dismissed while he underwent treatment, KOMO News reports. After he completed that treatment, prosecutors refiled the charges and worked with the facility so detectives could take him back into custody on April 3. Prosecutors have not yet posted a public schedule for the newly refiled case.
What’s Next In Court
Singhateh now faces refiled counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault tied to the May 23, 2024 collision. Those original filings were reported in May 2024 and are summarized in our earlier coverage, Unlicensed driver charged, along with contemporaneous reporting. FOX 13 Seattle has previously detailed prosecutors' bail requests and the victims' injuries. Court calendars will determine whether the case heads toward trial or returns to further competency proceedings.
