Bothell man arrested in double fatal hit-and-run

BOTHELL, Wash. — A 27-year-old driver accused of hitting and killing two people in Bothell Friday morning was arrested.

The crash happened around 5:30 a.m. on State Route 524, just west of Nellis Road.

Troopers said the suspect, later identified as Alec Gajdos, drove off and went to work as if nothing had happened. However, he was arrested when he returned to get gas at a 7-11 store less than a mile away from the scene of the crash after work.

Troopers said, in a sense, he had pulled right into his arrest.

“You know, that’s pretty unbelievable that the timeline happened to match up like that -- when we were here reviewing surveillance video,” an investigator said.

Troopers also said it was not a hard crime to solve.

“Clearly, looking at the damage, clearly he hit something large. And we’ll be questioning him on what he thinks he hit,” an investigator said.

A KIRO 7 crew was there and recorded the moment troopers arrested a man for felony hit-and-run. He admitted to hitting the two people, according to troopers.

According to authorities, both pedestrians were hit so hard that they landed in a nearby ditch. It was five hours before their bodies were found. Troopers said by that time, the man was in the middle of his shift at work.

“I can’t speak exactly to his mindset on why he decided that he was going to continue going to work or if he thinks that he, in his head, play a game that he didn’t hit anybody. I don’t know what his mindset is,” said trooper Rocky Oliphant.

The hit-and-run happened right next to a housing development. Neighbors like Judy Menz said they had heard nothing unusual. She said she found out about it on Facebook.

“I was like, ‘oh my gosh,’ that’s right down the street, and I walk around that neighborhood a lot, so it’s very sad that two people had to lose their life today,” Menz said.

Troopers said the driver could have avoided serious charges if only he had stayed at the crash site.

“You have an obligation to stay, exchange information, and render aid if necessary. That’s your obligation,” troopers aid.

Investigators later identified one victim as 32-year-old Carson Cox of Lynnwood. The other person, a woman, has not been identified yet.

As for SR 524, it has since reopened after being closed for more than six hours.

VIDEO: Two people dead in Bothell hit-and-run

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