Students Celebrating Graduation Killed by Drunk Driver

A drunk driving crash on Interstate 5 has claimed the lives of two young men just days before their high school graduation.

Derek King,18, died at the scene of the crash on Wednesday night. A second teen, Nicholas Hodgins, 18, died the following day at Harborview Medical Center just after 1 p.m., investigators said.

"He had tons of his friends come to the hospital to be with him, and that was really special. And I know he knew they were there," said Brandi Gleason, Hodgins' sister.

Troopers said the two victims were with a third student, out celebrating their upcoming graduation from Federal Way's Decatur High School when their Honda Civic broke down in the left-center lane around 10:30 p.m.

The driver activated the car's hazard lights, troopers said, but a short time later their Civic was rear-ended by a Ford Explorer. The force of the impact smashed in the back of the Civic, where King was seated.

The driver of the Civic was taken to Harborview Medical Center where he was treated for injuries and released.

The 50-year-old man who was driving the Explorer, Alexander E. Peder, was also taken to Harborview for treatment of injuries. He was released late Thursday morning and then arrested for investigation of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault. Troopers say they believe Peder was drunk at the time of the crash.

"I'm real angry. Innocent children lost their lives because somebody couldn't call a cab," said Gleason.

Students and staff were saddened to hear the news of their classmates when they arrived on campus Thursday. School officials said King would have turned 19 on Thursday.

The students held a memorial for their fallen friends on Thursday night.

"It's meant a lot to put on something of this size within a 24-hour span," said student Matt Parker.

Parent Simone Thompson is livid that an alleged drunk driver could take a life.

"I'm sure their parents were waiting for him to come home and celebrate the fact that he was getting out of high school, making college plans, making life plans with their kid," Thompson said. "And this person took him. It's just wrong. It is just absolutely, heart-breakingly wrong."

"Don't be that person," said Eryn Caessens, Hodgins' cousin. "Don't be the one that takes somebody's life, or even lose your own. It's not worth it."

Eric Jones said he knew King through the school's culinary program.

"He was a good guy," Jones said. "He'd help you if you needed help."

Peder has been booked into the King County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.