A 26-year-old Yakima man has been charged with vehicular homicide and vehicular assault after a Sunday afternoon crash killed Susie Edler and left her husband, former Seattle Mariners player and Yakima Mayor Dave Edler, critically injured.
The Yakima Police Department said the collision happened at about 4:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of Coolidge Road, near South 76th Avenue. Investigators believe a westbound vehicle traveling at high speed crossed the center line and struck the Edlers’ eastbound car.
Emergency crews cut the couple from the wreckage and took them to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital. Susie Edler, 67, died shortly after arriving. Dave Edler, 70, was stabilized and flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he remains in critical condition.
Police identified the other driver as Trevor Allen Stockton. Authorities suspect alcohol impairment played a direct role in the crash. Stockton was arrested at the scene.
Stockton appeared in Yakima County Superior Court on Monday. The judge set bail at $75,000 and referred during the hearing to what was described as Stockton’s cold reaction after the collision.
Edler has long been active in central Washington sports and civic life. The Mariners selected him in 1978 after he played college baseball at Washington State University. He appeared in 126 games for the team from 1980 to 1983.
After leaving baseball, Edler served on the Yakima City Council from 2003 to 2006 and was mayor from 2006 to 2010. He and Susie also served as pastoral leaders at Yakima Foursquare Church for 30 years.
Investigators are awaiting official toxicology results as they continue their work on the case.
