Court documents allege driver of van that struck, killed woman in downtown Spokane knew brakes didn’t work properly

Michael J. Lucey, the 62-year-old driver of a van that struck and killed a woman in downtown Spokane Monday morning, apparently knew his vehicle’s brakes didn’t work properly, he told officers at the scene.

In recently released court documents, Lucey told responding Spokane police officers that he knew of the issue “for about two weeks,” and that he recently had to add brake fluid to the reservoir but continued to drive the vehicle. Police arrested Lucey Monday for vehicular homicide.

Officers talked to multiple witnesses, who all said Lucey’s 1996 Ford van failed to stop while exiting the Interstate 90 westbound off-ramp at Third Avenue and Division Street. It slammed into two vehicles parked at the red light: a 2015 Hyundai sedan and a 2013 blue Ford Escape.

Lucey tried to go in-between the two vehicles, witnesses told officers, but crashed into the left-side bumper of the Hyundai, before hitting a woman in 50s who was walking across the street. She was dragged beneath the van.

Witnesses said they observed Lucey get out of his van and attempt to flee the scene, before he was detained.

One witness told police that when he checked on the woman, she initially had a pulse. He told officers people tried to lift the van to get her out but were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She has not been identified.

The driver of the Hyundai fled the scene, but later returned. She told police she became scared after she was hit and went to a friend’s house. She said she did not know the woman was hit.

According to previous news stories, Lucey worked at the Guardians Foundation Inc. – a Spokane- and Idaho-based nonprofit that helps homeless veterans find temporary and permanent housing. He declined a request for an interview Tuesday morning.

At court Tuesday, Lucey’s public defender requested at-home monitoring in lieu of jail, saying that her client had a very limited criminal history. Lucey said that he had dogs at home he needed to look after.

“This happened suddenly,” he said. “And I have two little dogs. I need to make arrangements for them.”

There on Lucey’s behalf was Michael Shaw, the owner of Guardians Foundation, who confirmed Lucey was no longer working at the nonprofit at the time of the crash. He told Judge Fennessy that Lucey was also recently evicted from a home he was staying at in the 1900 block of E. Pacific Avenue in Spokane’s East Central neighborhood.

“His residence is at risk,” he said.

Judge Fennessy set Lucey’s bond at $25,000, noting a lack of housing and the severity of the crime he’s being accused of committing. Prosecutors were pushing for $100,000 bond.

“With that information in mind, I have more concern about where you would stay,” Fennessy said.