A fugitive who vanished after a deadly DUI crash on Interstate 5 is back in custody, and this time authorities say he is finally headed back into a King County courtroom. A longtime suspect in a 2017 vehicular homicide case was arrested in West Seattle on Thursday, ending a years-long manhunt that investigators hope will bring the victim’s family some long-delayed answers.
The Washington State Patrol says it took 36-year-old Jerry C. Denson into custody Thursday after investigators developed credible leads and teamed up with the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force, according to KOMO News. Denson had been on the state patrol's Most Wanted list since 2017, after he failed to appear in court on a vehicular homicide charge tied to a crash on Interstate 5. In a statement to KOMO, Capt. Trisena Sharff said, "No matter how much time passes, we will continue to pursue those who evade accountability for serious crimes."
Crash That Sparked The Manhunt
The charge stems from a March 2017 collision on southbound Interstate 5 in Kent that killed a 28-year-old passenger, Joy Brannon, who troopers say was ejected from the vehicle, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Troopers previously said blood tests showed Denson had been drinking and using marijuana before the crash, and that a warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court.
Investigation And Capture
Investigators say they recently received credible information about Denson's whereabouts and tracked him to West Seattle with help from federal partners. The state patrol credited the King County Prosecutor's Office and the U.S. Marshals for assisting in the arrest, according to KOMO News. Denson was taken into custody without incident and booked into the King County Jail, where he will face proceedings tied to the original vehicular homicide charge.
What's Next
Prosecutors will review the case and determine whether to refile charges and set an arraignment date, and the county's Felony Traffic Unit is expected to handle the next steps. The arrest closes a chapter in a case that left a family grieving for nearly a decade and underscores the sustained cooperation between local and federal law enforcement.
