Police say driver fled to China via Vancouver airport after deadly US crash

Ting Ye pictured in a handout photo from the Bellevue Police Department. (VDB Photos/Shutterstock | BellevuePD/Submitted)

A woman charged with vehicular homicide in connection with a crash outside Seattle in September is accused of crossing the border to Canada and catching a flight to China at the Vancouver International Airport.

Ting Ye and her passenger Yabao Liu, both Chinese nationals, were in Seattle for work when Ye allegedly crashed her Porsche 911 in Bellevue, Washington, leaving Liu dead.

Prosecutors say Ye, 26, was driving at more than 145 kilometres per hour when the car became airborne and crashed just before 4 am on September 30. The vehicle struck several objects before landing upside-down, according to Washington State court documents.

Bellevue Police Department

Liu, the 27-year-old passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene.

First responders reported a strong alcohol smell when extricating Ye from the car, but she was injured and had to be taken to hospital. Results from her blood toxicology report taken three hours after the crash are pending.

Ye allegedly wouldn’t tell authorities any information about her passenger, and his family was only notified of his death after investigators found the Chinese company he worked for in Seattle.

Ye was released from hospital earlier than expected, and police weren’t notified she’d been discharged, according to a news release from the Bellevue Police Department.

Police believe she absconded to China shortly after getting out of hospital.

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Officer Seth Tyler confirmed it’s believed that Ye crossed the Canadian border and caught a flight to China from YVR.

Authorities set Ye’s bail at $2 million and requested her passport be turned over to the state. But when she didn’t attend an October 23 arraignment the court issued a warrant for her arrest.

China doesn’t have an extradition agreement with the US, meaning the Chinese government doesn’t need to send Ye back to face her court proceedings.

However, Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley urged Ye to return to face justice.

“Our primary concern is ensuring that the victim’s family receives the closure and justice they deserve. We implore Ms. Ye to return and cooperate with law enforcement in this matter.”

Bellevue police are working with international law enforcement to locate and arrest Ye, saying it’s imperative she understands the gravity of her situation and the potential repercussions of evading the legal process.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.