FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — The man accused of randomly shooting at multiple cars on Interstate 5 in south King County was charged Tuesday.
According to court documents, 28-year-old Marco Ramos Valdez was charged with two counts of first-degree assault. Both charges include a firearm enhancement. He remains in King County Jail on $1 million bail.
Authorities have been investigating multiple shootings on south King County highways that happened last week. A driver in one of the shootings was struck in the neck by a bullet around 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 6 and treated at Harborview Medical Center. Probable cause documents said the victim's wife, who is six months pregnant, was in the passenger seat of the car and called 911. She was not injured in the shooting.
This shooting happened on southbound I-5, north of South 320th Street in Federal Way. The other shooting Valdez is charged in connection with happened on northbound I-5 near exit 153 in Southcenter around 9:40 p.m. on Dec. 6. The victim was not physically injured, but a bullet struck his car. He also witnessed Valdez reportedly driving "all over the roadway" in a light blue Nissan 370z before the shooting.
Investigators said Valdez fired at least two shots. WSP believes, based on the timing of three of the other shootings, that the suspect may have been involved in a total of six shootings.
"An additional victim came forward being shooting number six," Captain Ron Meade, King County District Commander for the Washington State Patrol. "We have every belief that he was going to commit another series of these events."
WSP connected Valdez to two of the shootings based on vehicle and suspect descriptions by witnesses and traffic cameras.
According to court documents, Valdez claims he was on meth during the shootings on the night of Dec. 6 and early morning hours of Dec. 7. He told police he had been hearing voices that told him the vehicles around him were a danger to him. When asked if he may have been shooting at those cars, he said, "Yes."
Valdez was arrested during a traffic stop on the night of Dec. 7, where troopers found a semi-automatic handgun, loose ammunition and spent shell casings in the back of his vehicle.
"If anybody else was a victim of this series of incidents on Wednesday night, we want them to come forward," said Meade.
KCPAO said Valdez has no previous criminal history in the county.
His arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 21 at 9 a.m.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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