King County prosecutors have filed charges against an 18-year-old exchange student from Burma living in Auburn for a May 12 single vehicle crash along westbound State Route 18 in the Auburn/Black Diamond area that resulted in the death of another exchange student.
Pau Nung, 21, a Burma exchange student living in Kent and a passenger in the vehicle, died from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
King County prosecutors filed a felony charge on May 15 of vehicular homicide and two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment against the driver of the vehicle, Nyi Min Naing, 18, of Auburn.
According to prosecutors, Naing created a substantial risk of death and serious physical injury to another person driving at speeds of 130 mph prior to the collision that resulted in the death of his passenger, Nung.
King County prosecutors requested the court to set Naing’s bail at $2 million.
“The defendant is not likely to appear in response to a summons and is a flight risk,” stated prosecutors in charging documents.
According to charging documents, Naing attends Green River College as an exchange student from Burma. Naing lacks ties to both Washington and the U.S.
A Department of Justice representative informed prosecutors regarding the limited to non-existent extradition options from Burma.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, the Washington State Patrol was dispatched on May 12 after receiving reports at approximately 11:50 p.m. regarding a single-vehicle collision westbound SR 18 on the off-ramp to Auburn-Black Diamond Road.
One of the 911 callers, a passenger in the vehicle, reported another passenger, Nung, missing from the vehicle.
According to the state patrol, the vehicle attempted to exit to Auburn-Black Diamond Road from westbound SR 18 at a high rate of speed and failed to navigate the curve.
The vehicle left the roadway and rolled multiple times — ejecting the rear passenger, Nung — and traveling approximately 300 feet prior to stopping near the on-ramp.
First responders located Nung on the on-ramp, neither conscious nor breathing. After blocking the on-ramp and attempting to provide aid to Nung, first responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
According to Washington State Patrol, Nung was not wearing his seatbelt.
The collision also resulted in injuries to Naing and the other 18-year-old and 20-year-old passengers in the vehicle, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The front passenger of the vehicle advised detectives he looked at the speedometer 20 seconds prior to the collision and saw Naing driving at 130 mph prior to “suddenly” taking the exit and losing control.
The front passenger advised detectives that everyone in the vehicle attended Green River College as exchange students from Burma.
Detectives arrested Naing at the scene at approximately 12:31 a.m. May 13 and booked him into the King County Jail, according to court documents.
The King County Superior Court scheduled Naing’s arraignment for May 25 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
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