Driver fatally hit pedestrian in Puyallup after drinking at Halloween party, charges say
A woman charged Wednesday for fatally striking a 28-year-old man in downtown Puyallup last year got behind the wheel after drinking at a Halloween party on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, records say.
Cheryl Anise Johnson, 63, was charged in Pierce County Superior Court with vehicular homicide for the Oct. 30, 2021 incident at the intersection of West Main Street and North Meridian Avenue, which resulted in the death of Mark Matthew Burnett of Puyallup.
Johnson is to be arraigned Nov. 8. Court records show the defendant has no prior criminal history in Pierce County.
According to charging documents, Johnson told a Puyallup Police Department officer she drank a few shots at a party at her son’s house on JBLM and was driving home when the collision occurred. A witness reported that the driver went through a green light at the intersection when she struck Burnett, who had been standing just off a crosswalk.
The collision occurred at about 11 p.m., and the same witness said Johnson appeared to have been going about 40-45 mph, according to the declaration for determination of probable cause. Police said the speed limit in that area is 25 mph. Johnson was arrested on suspicion of DUI after a breathalyzer showed her blood alcohol content was 0.18, above the legal limit of 0.08.
The defendant was taken to MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital to have her blood drawn, and toxicology results are pending, according to the probable cause document. Puyallup police Capt. Ryan Portmann said Wednesday that Johnson was released the same night after being processed at the hospital.
When police arrived at the crash scene, Johnson was standing by her vehicle and appeared distraught, records say. Officers asked if she was okay, and she allegedly replied, “He just jumped out. I didn’t mean to hit him.”
Bystanders performed life-saving measures on Burnett until crews from Central Pierce Fire & Rescue arrived, according to a Facebook post from the police department. The victim was transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in critical condition. He died from his injuries about two weeks later, Nov. 14, according to the probable cause document.
This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 10:13 AM.
