The crash forced a woman to have a pre-term C-section, delivering her newborn at 27 weeks.
PUYALLUP, Wash. — A suspect who allegedly caused a DUI crash that left a 3-year-old girl with a severe brain injury and resulted in a woman giving birth at 27 weeks faces multiple felony charges in Pierce County.
Rex Graydon, 21, was charged with three counts of vehicular assault with a DUI enhancement, and one count each of obstruction of a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and failure to obey an officer after the late-December crash.
These charges are the latest in a slew of driving violations dating back to 2021. His driving record shows he was at fault in two other collisions, including one last August. He received eight speeding tickets since June of 2023, and his license was revoked in early October of this year.
Around 10 a.m. on Dec. 21, the suspect was stopped by a Puyallup police officer in the parking lot of a Walmart on suspicion that he was driving with a suspended license. The officer noted a strong smell of marijuana coming from the car. Graydon fled that interaction, nearly hitting three different vehicles on his way out of the parking lot, surveillance footage would later show.
Multiple bystanders in the Walmart parking lot flagged down the officer to warn him of Graydon’s reckless behavior, according to court documents.
Shortly after, 911 dispatch advised there was a nearby two-car collision on an on-ramp to state Route 512. The suspect allegedly struck the passenger side of a Honda CRV carrying a family of five, seriously injuring a 3-year-old girl, her pregnant mother, and ultimately the unborn child, who was later delivered via C-section at 27 weeks. The infant was transferred to the NICU at an area children’s hospital.
According to an update from the family’s attorney, the child sustained a traumatic brain injury and a neurological team anticipates that may cause long-term disability. The mother sustained multiple pelvic fractures. The mother has not been downgraded from critical condition as of Dec. 26. The 3-year-old was expected to be released from the hospital Dec. 26 and require rehab services.
The suspect was also injured in the crash. Court documents note Graydon was fading in and out of consciousness. A bystander who stopped to help reported that he was “convulsing” and “foaming at the mouth” directly after the crash.
Witnesses told law enforcement that they had seen Graydon speeding and weaving in and out of traffic just before the crash. He reportedly almost lost control of his vehicle before running the red light and hitting the Honda CRV as it was turning left onto SR 512.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
