Mountlake Terrace Man Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal "Road Rage' Crash on Rose Hill

The family of the late Steve Lacey of Kirkland expressed disbelief and disgust Monday after Patrick Rexroat pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and reckless driving charges in the July 24 crash on Rose Hill that killed the highly regarded Google software engineer.

The 56-year-old Rexroat, of Mountlake Terrace, made the plea in King County Superior Court in Seattle Monday morning. He remains in the King County Jail on $1 million bail. 

Prosecutors say Rexroat was drunk and claimed to be chasing another driver who had cut him off when he took the eastbound NE 85th Street exit from Interstate 405 at a high rate of speed and lost control of his Hyundai SUV. It smashed into the BMW driven by Lacey, who was not involved in the apparent road rage incident, killing him instantly. 

After the brief hearing, attended by more than 20 family and friends of Lacey, his mother and sister said penalties for the crimes Rexroat is charged with need to be stiffened. 

“Are you kidding me?” said Lacey’s mother, Janet Lacey of Eastbourne, England. “He killed my son. He’s guilty and the laws need to change.”

If convicted, Rexroat faces a sentence of 31 to 41 months in prison under current state guidelines for vehicular homicide. The state House of Representatives considered raising it to 78 to 100 months during its last session, but failed to pass the bill.

“It’s disgusting and the laws need to be reviewed,” said Lacey’s sister, Susan Lacey, also from England. “I have no words that can describe how that man and his actions can take a wonderful, caring, amazing father and husband. His loss is devastating. To describe a guy like that, I have no words.”

Lacey, 43, who also worked as a programmer at Microsoft and Facebook and was well known in the industry, lived in Kirkand’s Norkirk neigborhood and left a wife, Nabila, and children, Julian, 7 and Jasmine 5. A tearful Nabila Lacey also attended the arraignment.

Superior Court Judge Ronald Kessler heard the not guilty pleas and continued the case, scheduled for a case-setting hearing on Aug. 22.

Susan Lacey said the family wanted to attend as many hearings in the case as possible to show “we are one unit,” but that she and her mother were returning to England Monday evening.

“I had to be here,” said Janet Lacey, breaking into tears. “I wish he were standing here right now. But he’s not. I can’t be here for every hearing. But we will be here for the trial, I can tell you that.”