Woman arraigned in Tacoma crash that killed her toddler son
A woman accused of driving impaired and causing a wreck that killed her toddler son was arraigned Monday.
Heather Leah Ruopp, 36, pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and driving with a suspended or revoked license in connection to the death of 3-year-old Brody Debenning.
Pierce County Superio Court Judge Bryan Chushcoff set bail at $300,000.
Court records do not yet list an attorney for Ruopp.
Police arrested her Wednesday. According to charging papers:
Ruopp’s sedan crossed the center line Aug. 18 in the 3000 block of Yakima Avenue in Tacoma, and it hit an oncoming city of Tacoma truck.
She had methamphetamine, amphetamine and Zolpidem (commonly used as a sleep aid) in her system at the time.
The truck driver tried to stop, investigators said, but couldn’t avoid the wreck.
Mother and son were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with serious injuries. About a month later police learned that the boy had died.
Alexis Krell: 253-597-8268, @amkrell
This story was originally published November 28, 2016 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Woman arraigned in Tacoma crash that killed her toddler son."