** Charges: Man ‘snapped,’ kidnapped woman before fatal crash on Highway 525

Robert Rowland, a 37-year-old man from Kenmore, is charged with first-degree murder and vehicular homicide after a violent incident that led to the tragic death of 83-year-old Trudy Slanger. In the weeks leading up to the crash, Rowland displayed increasingly violent behavior, including destroying his girlfriend's cell phones and sending her threatening messages upon learning she was entering rehab. On the day of the incident, he kidnapped her and led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a fatal collision on Highway 525. Rowland drove against traffic before crashing into Slanger's vehicle, resulting in her death at the scene. With at least seven prior felony convictions, Rowland's history raises significant safety concerns in the Lynnwood community.

He is currently held in custody with bail set at $2 million while awaiting trial. Slanger is remembered fondly as a beloved mother and grandmother, whose life was tragically cut short by this horrific event.