Police: ‘Very lackadaisical’ driver charged in fatal crash had double dose of antidepressant in system — (The News Tribune)

Pierce County prosecutors Monday charged Frances Marquart with vehicle homicide for the April 1 crash that left Ronald Curtis dead.

The collision happened at South 40th Street and South Yakima Avenue. Police and charging papers gave this account:  Marquart was driving a 2012 Ford Focus when she ran a stop sign and hit a 1994 Lexus sedan traveling north on South Yakima Avenue, causing it to spin out before stopping on the sidewalk.

Curtis, 58, of Puyallup was trapped in the passenger seat and pronounced dead at the scene.

Curtis’ friend told officers she was driving him to the hospital when the other car hit them.

Marquart said she was heading from Lakewood to a physical therapy appointment in Tacoma. Her appointment was at 1:15 p.m. The wreck was at 3:50 p.m.

Her “demeanor seemed very lackadaisical in response to the type of collision that she was in,” according to charging papers.

Blood tests showed she had more than double the recommended dose of an antidepressant in her system.