Crime & Safety

Driver in Fatal Bellevue I-405 Collision Pleads Not Guilty

Samuel C. Sampson, 27, of Woodinville pleaded not guilty in connection with a crash on Interstate 405 that killed Ian Beckford, 22, of Federal Way.

Samuel C. Sampson of Woodinville pleaded not guilty Monday morning to charges of Vehicular Homicide, Vehicular Assault and Reckless Driving in connection with the Sept. 12 collision in Bellevue that killed 22-year-old Ian Beckford.

According to prosecutors, Sampson allegedly weaved his Audi around traffic and was driving at speeds exceeding 120 mph on Interstate 405 when his car slammed into Beckford's car while the 22-year-old was on his way home from a family day on Lake Sammamish.

Sampson, 27, remains in jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

After the collision near the Main Street overpass on I-405, Beckford's car burst into flames and rolled over, according to the Washington State Patrol. The crash involved two other cars, and injured Sampson and his wife, who was a passenger, and two other people in another car, the state patrol reported.

According to court documents, Sampson told investigators after the crash that he estimated that he had been going "really fast, like 150 mph" before he started swerving and struck the barrier, losing control of his car.

He told investigators that he had smoked methamphetamine, and injected heroin and had taken methadone in the days before the crash, according to court papers.

When the trooper asked the man why, he responded, "Bored, I guess," according to the court documents.


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