Man charged with murder in Pierce County car crash that killed reality TV star
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- Pierce County charged a 40-year-old man, Time Time, with murder in a fatal crash.
- Reality TV contestant Monica Sandoval Saavedra, AKA "Spicy Monii," died in the wreck.
- Time previously served 10 years for his part in a 2010 gang-related killing in Tacoma.
A man who spent a decade in prison for his part in a Tacoma gang killing was charged Friday with felony murder for crashing his car while fleeing from sheriff’s deputies, killing a passenger who was a reality television star.
Pierce County prosecutors accused Time Time, 40, of second-degree murder for causing the woman’s death while attempting to elude pursuing police vehicles. He was also charged with vehicular homicide.
The events that led to the fatal crash began at about 3:30 a.m. June 14, according to charging documents, when two Sheriff’s Office deputies on patrol in the Parkland area noticed a Chrysler 300 that appeared to be speeding in a 30 mph zone on Ainsworth Avenue.
The driver, Time, allegedly sped away from the deputies after they made a U-turn to follow his vehicle. According to the probable cause document, Time drove through a red light and a stop sign and reached speeds of over 100 mph while fleeing south on Pacific Avenue.
The woman killed in the wreck has not yet been identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office. But relatives and news outlets have identified her as 35-year-old Monica Sandoval Saavedra, also known as “Spicy Monii.”
Sandoval Saavedra was a contestant on the most recent season of “Joseline’s Cabaret,” a reality show where women compete for a cash prize and to dance in cabaret shows with Puerto Rican rapper Joseline Hernandez.
The woman was a mother to two boys, Tyree and Angel, her sister, Melissa Barron Valladolid, told The News Tribune. She said her family was facing an “unimaginably difficult time” while they grieve the loss of her sister. She set up a GoFundMe to raise money to support Tyree and Angel and cover other expenses.
“Our family is committed to seeking justice on Monica’s behalf,” Barron Valladolid said. “We firmly believe that those responsible for her death must be held accountable and face the full consequences of their actions under the law.”
The Instagram account for “Joseline’s Cabaret” posted to Instagram on June 17 stating it was “deeply saddened to share that #SpicyMonii @gorditaybuena, who brought unforgettable energy to #JoselinesCabaretTexas, has tragically passed away.” The post drew thousands of comments offering condolences.
Time and a man in the front passenger seat were hospitalized following the wreck, which occurred as Time approached the Roy Y at state Route 507 and Pacific Avenue at high speed. According to charging documents, Time misjudged the curve in the road, lost control of his car and crashed into a Pierce Transit Park & Ride.
A deputy wrote in a report that he believed the pursuit was necessary for the public’s safety because Time was driving recklessly, and according to the Washington State Patrol, more than 30 percent of all traffic deaths in the state occur in June, July and August.
During the pursuit, Time allegedly drove in the wrong lanes of travel on Pacific Avenue for a short time and used the turn lane to pass traffic. Deputies noted traffic was light, and they called for other deputies to get ahead of the fleeing vehicle with stop sticks.
After the crash, deputies found the Chrysler upside down in the Park & Ride lot. Time and the other man were still in the car, and Sandoval Saavedra was found on her back and unresponsive in the parking lot. She was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, where she was pronounced dead.
Time has been out of prison since November 2022, when he was released after serving 10 years, nine months of a 12.5-year prison sentence for his part in a 2010 shooting in Tacoma that killed 20-year-old Camille Love and wounded her brother, Josh Love.
Time and six other men convicted in the shooting were members of the same gang, according to prosecutors, who went out looking for rival gang members to kill in retaliation for a shooting outside a nightclub.
The two victims were in a red car and Josh Love wore a red jacket, a color for the rival, but the two had no connection to the gang.
Time was believed to have been a lookout for cops and potential targets, according to previous reporting from The News Tribune. He pleaded guilty in 2012 to leading organized crime and received one of the most lenient sentences in the case.
News Tribune reporter Puneet Bsanti contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
