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SPORTS | Overlake boys end basketball season at 1A state regionals [12] CRIME ALERT | Redmond Police Blotter [3]
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015
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COMMUNITY | Flowers a-plenty from Hmong families. [15]
Driver charged in fatal rear-end collision; bail set at $100,000 ANDY NYSTROM anystrom@redmond-reporter.com
One driver died and another was injured in a two-car collision at the intersection of Avondale Road and Northeast Union Hill Road early last Saturday morning.
Robert Malsch, 21, of Lynnwood was charged on Wednesday in King County Superior Court with vehicular homicide, hit-andrun felony and reckless driving. On Monday, court set his bail at $100,000, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney Of-
fice. Malsch’s arraignment is scheduled for March 18 at the Seattle courthouse. On Monday on its media information line, the King County Medical Examiner’s office identified the deceased man as 30-yearold Mike Ey. He died at the scene. (See story below.)
Microsoft software engineer remembered as ‘reliable’ friend more like him in that way. He was an amazing friend.” Johnson last saw Ey a little Whenever friends needed bit before 1 a.m. last Saturday him, Mike Ey was reliable and morning. Ey, 30, spent Friday always there for night visiting with them. Johnson and another “If you made friend, Pete Cochran, plans, he would at their Capitol Hill never flake. You apartment in Seattle could always call before heading back to him and depend on his Woodinville home, him to be there for which he shared with you at any time, for Mike Ey his girlfriend Kelley any reason,” said Piering. Philippe Johnson. Less than a half hour “He really put his friends later, Ey was killed in a rearbefore anything. He was inend, hit-and-run collision off spiring and I always try and be [ more EY page 8 ] ANDY NYSTROM
anystrom@redmond-reporter.com
According to Redmond Police Department (RPD) Cmdr. Shari Francois, Redmond police and fire crews responded to the collision reported by a passerby at approximately 1:16 a.m. on Saturday. As police officers arrived, Malsch was seen running
from one of the vehicles involved in the rear-end collision, during which both vehicles — Malsch’s red 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit and Ey’s white 2010 Honda Fit — had exited State Route 520, said RPD Lt. Julie Beard. An RPD K-9 team tracked Malsch
a short distance away, and court documents state that after Malsch was located, one officer “noted a faint odor of intoxicants on Malsch’s breath and another noted he had physical signs consistent with having consumed intoxicants.” [ more CRASH page 9 ]
What’s up Postdoc? Plenty of brew Tom Schmidlin, right, one of Postdoc Brewing Company’s four founders, enjoys himself at the company’s grand-opening event on Feb. 27. Redmond Mayor John Marchione joined in on the festivities. See story on page 7. ANDY NYSTROM, Redmond Reporter
City purchases Keller Farm property to preserve Bear Creek, other waters SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
The City of Redmond has purchased the Keller Farm, seen here from Avondale Road Northeast in Redmond. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter
After a number of years of interest, the City of Redmond has purchased an 83-acre parcel of floodplain located to the northwest of Bear Creek and east of Avondale Road. The sale went through at the end of January and the property — known as the Keller Farm — represents the largest piece of unde-
veloped land in Redmond, adjacent to Bear Creek.
A FAMILY FARM
Prior to the sale, the land had been owned by the Keller family since the early 1880s, according to an informational plaque about the property. The farm was started by Morris Joseph Keller, who went by Joseph, after he married Helen Woodin — of the pioneering family who founded Wood-
inville. The couple settled on the 160-acre piece of land, originally a homestead. This meant it was given free to anyone who was willing to farm it, said Al Keller, one of Joseph and Woodin’s grandsons and one of the four Keller siblings who sold the land to the city. The property was passed down to Joseph and Woodin’s eldest son, Al’s father Ralph, and then passed down to Al’s eldest brother
Fred. Their remaining two siblings are Dan and Marcia. With the exception of Fred, the remaining Kellers are scattered throughout the country. “It feels really strange because the farm was always there,” Al said of selling the property. The 83 acres acquired by the city represents what is left of the Keller property — except for about seven and a [ more KELLER page 7 ]
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