A 34-year-old Kent man faces charges of first-degree murder and felony hit and run in connection with the death of a 31-year-old Kent man who tried to stop the man from stealing his car.
Michael Riley remains in custody in the King County jail in Seattle with bail set at $1 million, according to jail records. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 29 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Riley is a self-admitted member of the Valley Hood Piru street gang and has prior convictions for second-degree kidnapping, obstructing an officer, theft, weapons display and solicitation, according to charging papers filed Monday by county prosecutors in King County Superior Court.
Jonathan Burnett, died from injuries, suffered in the June 11 evening incident when he left his car running momentarily in front of the Somerset Apartments, 25220 109th Ct. S.E., and then tried to stop Riley from reportedly stealing his vehicle. Burnett, who had left his car to make contact with residents at the apartments, saw Riley get into the driver’s side of the vehicle and tried to climb through an open window on the passenger’s side to get Riley to stop.
Riley then reportedly drove out of the complex and onto 109th Avenue Southeast, with Burnett hanging out of the passenger window. Witnesses say it appeared the suspect was intentionally trying to get Burnett out of the vehicle by swerving and hitting the curb.
After about a block, Burnett was thrown from the vehicle and was seriously injured. Witnesses started first aid until officers arrived and took over doing CPR. Medics arrived and took the Burnett to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he later died.
A Kent detective attended the autopsy of Burnett by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office who advised that Burnett had suffered a broken right leg, a pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a torn aorta, according to charging documents. The examiner indicated the leg fracture and torn aorta contributed to his death and added Burnett’s leg was likely run over noting that axle grease remained on his right leg.
On June 11, Kent Police put out an all-points bulletin to surrounding agencies for the stolen vehicle. About an hour later, Renton Police responded to a vehicle collision involving Burnett’s stolen vehicle, a black Hyundai Sonata. Riley fled the accident, but officers were able to find him nearby and arrested him.
Just prior to the car theft, Riley’s mother, who lives in Kent, had called 911 to advise that her son was having a psychotic episode, according to charging papers. Kent Police made contact with Riley, but he was released.
When detectives tried to talk to Riley in jail about the incident, he had already advised jail staff he didn’t want to talk to police without his attorney present.
In the week prior to the incident, Riley had reportedly assaulted a random stranger on a Seattle street and had two separate reports of threatening behavior in Kent. He had only been off supervision from the state Department of Corrections since May.
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