Puyallup man caused fiery fatal wreck in Federal Way, police say
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- A Puyallup man, 22, was arrested and accused of causing a fatal crash in Federal Way.
- The suspect allegedly drove drunk and ran red lights before the multi-vehicle wreck.
- No charges had been filed as of Thursday, but a referral to prosecutors was expected soon.
A 22-year-old Puyallup man has been arrested for allegedly driving drunk and causing a fiery, multiple-vehicle crash in Federal Way over the weekend that killed one person and seriously injured another, police records show.
The crash was reported shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday at South 356th Street and Enchanted Parkway South, where responding officers found four vehicles “with significant body damage and fully engulfed in flames,” according to probable-cause documents.
Surveillance video later reviewed by officers showed the suspect speeding in a 2022 Audi, failing to stay in his lane and running multiple red lights between South 304th and South 356th streets before the wreck, probable-cause documents said.
The driver of a 2012 Honda Pilot, identified in media reports as 45-year-old Vitali Siumbeli, of Federal Way, was killed. The driver of a 2010 Honda Odyssey was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, according to probable-cause documents.
A mother and her children escaped without significant injury before their 2026 Subaru Solterra became fully engulfed, the documents said.
The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment and monitoring, according to the documents.
The News Tribune isn’t naming the suspect because he hasn’t been charged. A King County court found probable cause Wednesday for his arrest, and prosecutors anticipate receiving a referral for felony charges from Federal Way police by Friday, according to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney.
“Officers observed (the suspect) sitting against a retaining wall, bleeding from his mouth and nose. Officers smelled the odor of alcohol coming from (his) person,” probable-cause documents said. “His eyes bloodshot, glossy, droopy and watery. (His) demeanor appeared distracted and unaware of the severity of the collision.”
He initially denied drinking alcohol to police, but later admitted to drinking seltzers at a house party, according to the documents.
During the suspect’s first appearance hearing Wednesday, the court found probable cause for his arrest on vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, DUI and reckless driving, McNerthney said.
The suspect’s bail was set at $150,000, according to McNerthney. Online booking records show he was released from King County Jail on Wednesday night.
