Teenager charged in fiery wreck that killed his 21-year-old passenger
A 19-year-old pleaded not guilty to three charges for his role in a crash near the Tacoma Tideflats Wednesday that killed a 21-year-old passenger.
Ethan Jonathan Wright faces charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving without a valid license, according to court documents.
Wright was driving his 2013 BMW X5 SUV northbound on East Portland Avenue Wednesday evening when he veered off the road, drove onto the sidewalk and hit an electric pole, the affidavit said.
The car then slid into a fence and rolled over onto its roof.
When authorities arrived, Wright was sent to the hospital. His passenger, Aiden Adreill Pinney, wasn’t as lucky.
Pinney was pronounced dead at the scene. The Pierce County Medical Examiner determined he died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Officers who spoke with Wright at the hospital noticed he smelled strongly of alcohol, spoke with slurred speech and had bloodshot eyes, according to the affidavit.
Wright told officers that earlier in the day he had smoked a blunt with a friend and consumed three shots of Rich and Rare Whiskey. He then drove west on Fairbanks to drop that friend off at his house.
Wright said he went home, fell asleep and the next thing he remembered was waking up to red and blue lights. He said he has no recollection of the collision. Wright kept repeating that he dropped Pinney off at his house earlier, and that he was the only person in the car at the time, the affidavit said.
It’s not immediately clear why Pinney was in the vehicle.
Wright’s bond is set at $500,000. A jury trial is scheduled at the Pierce County Superior court for March 11.
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 3:02 PM.
