A 40-year-old man who ran a red light and then ran away from Pierce County deputies while high on drugs caused an accident that killed a woman in another car and seriously hurt her husband. He was sentenced to 27 years in jail on Friday.
Stephanie LaGuardia, 47, and her husband Ernesto were moving from Auburn to the Tacoma area the night of the accident, March 16, 2022. They were going to rent an SUV and move one load. After that, they were going to go home and watch movies.
At about the same time, two officers from the Sheriff’s Office were walking along Pacific when they saw a silver Dodge Charger going south rev its engine and drive off the road. Zinkery M. Bonds was behind the wheel. Another person was riding with him. They were going to meet someone at an auto parts shop near 99th Street in Parkland.
Bonds was followed into the parking lot by the officers who wanted to talk to him. According to the police accounts, Bonds almost hit the patrol car and seemed lost. Bonds sped north out of the lot as the cops got out and told him to stop.
When the cops turned onto Pacific and turned on their lights and sirens, Bonds was already almost two blocks ahead, going very fast through the turn lane. He went through 96th and hit a car going west after going around cars that were stopped at a red light.
Bonds’ sentence hearing was held in Superior Court on Friday. Ernesto LaGuardia, 51, the driver of that car, was there. That night, he said he would never forget. He said he remembers the crash, how the car crushed him, and how he couldn’t reach for his wife.
When their car stopped, LaGuardia saw a police officer. He said that he asked him to help his wife. Someone broke open a door and pulled her out.
“I could see her feet while I was stuck in the car.” “And CPR was being done,” LaGuardia said. ‘How is my wife?’ was all I could think about. Help me, God. “Help my wife, help her, help her.””
Fire and police arrived at LaGuardia’s side. He was taken out of the car by cutting open the top. He said that he asked about Stephanie over and over, but she never answered. He asked the same question over and over again in an ambulance.
“How is my wife?” “Please let me know how my wife is doing,” LaGuardia asked. “A man leans over to me and says, ‘I don’t think it’s good.'”
He told her he would see her in the hospital because he thought it might be pretty bad. He found out she had died when he got there.
They had been married for around 20 years. Stephanie was a great wife, daughter, sister, friend, and aunt, according to LaGuardia. After being married for a few years, they found out they couldn’t have kids, LaGuardia said. So, they chose to be the best aunts and uncles they could be. They had four dogs together, named Princess, Oliver, Mila, and Ty.
He said Stephanie was his best friend and the thing that made him happiest. They had a life full of love, laughter, and goals they shared.
The mayor said, “Every day I feel like I’m walking through life in a fog.” “I miss her smile, her beautiful voice, and how being near her would make my day better.” There is less noise and less light in my world.
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