Bellevue Teen Charged With Vehicular Assault: Report

BELLEVUE, WA - An 18-year-old Bellevue man is facing a vehicular assault charge over a crash last summer that left one of his friends paralyzed. Sepehr Baghaei was charged April 4, according to the Seattle P-I, for his role in the August 2016 crash. The crash happened in the Hilltop neighborhood.

The crash happened around 10 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2016, near the 5200 block of Highland Drive. Baghaei was allegedly driving a 2017 Subaru Impreza at speeds in excess of 60 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. The crash happened when Baghaei approached a curve with a 20 MPH speed limit.

Baghaei allegedly lost control of the car and crashed into a median and uprooted a large tree, according to the P-I. There were three passengers in the car; the 18-year-old man in the passenger seat was gravely injured and is now a quadriplegic, according to the P-I.

Bellevue police reported that the 18-year-old required "heavy rescue extrication equipment" to be removed from the car. The other two passengers, ages 17 ad 16, and Baghaei, sustained minor injuries, according to police. At the time, police said they believed speed might have been a factor in the crash.

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