Woman Pleads Not Guilty In Officer's Death
Mary Jane Rivas, 31 and a six-time felon, was high on cocaine and driving 80 mph in a 30-mph zone when she ran a red light and plowed a sport utility vehicle into a cruiser driven by Joselito Barber, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng said in charging documents.
Barber, 26, had been on the force just eight months and was on routine patrol at the time of the Aug. 13 crash.
Rivas was still using crutches during her court appearance Tuesday; she suffered a broken leg and ankle in the crash. Because of her criminal record, which includes a DUI conviction, an average sentence would land her behind bars for 10 to 14 years if she's convicted.
But prosecutors have indicated that they intend to seek an exceptional sentence because of the "outrageous recklessness" of the act.
Barber's parents were at the courthouse and were able to see for the first time the woman accused of killing their son.
"I'm here for my son," said Ernie Barber. "He chose law enforcement as a career. He believed in doing right, and this process is a phase of what he believed in."
Asked about the possibility of an exception sentence, Ernie said he had confidence in the prosecutors and would be supportive of their office. "Hopefully justice will prevail," he said.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Hugh Barber said that Rivas will undergo a mental competency evaluation next week.
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