He admitted to hitting an Eatonville woman with his car and the judge hopes this drug program will rehabilitate him

After admitting to hitting and killing an Eatonville woman with his car, Jeremy Simon, 37, officially pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday, Jan. 30 to vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and drug possession.

The victim,  66-year-old Susan Rainwater, was riding her bicycle on Aug. 9 on State Routh 7 near 320th Street East, according to court documents, when she was struck by Simon's car. She ended up in a nearby ditch and died after Simon left the scene of the crash.  Rainwater's body was discovered by her husband Al Rainwater, 81. 

Superior Court Judge Stephanie Arend sentenced Simon to just over four years, 53.5 months, to a Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative. The program allows criminals like Simon to serve half of their sentence in prison and the other half on probation as long as they follow a mandated drug rehabilitation program. Both Simon's attorney and the case's prosecutor recommended the program for Simon. 

Arend noted Simon was seeking treatment in July, before the crash, which is why she believed he would do better in the program than others charged with similar drug crimes. 

Washington State Patrol investigators were able to use debris, witnesses and surveillance video to determine a lifted black pickup struck Rainwater, according to charging documents. 

WSP sent out news releases and posted about the incident on social media, hoping someone would recognize the suspected vehicle. On Aug. 10 WSP received an anonymous tip. The caller gave WSP the license plate number for a black 1986 Chevrolet truck. A quick document check placed the truck's registration to Simon's address. 

After three days of investigating and waiting, WSP officers were able to arrest Simon on Aug. 13.

According to the charging documents, Simon at first told the officers he had hit a deer with his car, which would explain the fresh dents and damage to the front. Officers explained they had video footage of his truck hitting a bicyclist. Simon lowered his head, apologized and admitted to hitting Rainwater the morning of her death. 

Simon told the police, and later the courts, he was driving to pick up his stepdad’s friend. He was tired because he had worked late the night before and only had four hours of sleep. He tried to use an energy drink to stay awake, but he still fell asleep behind the wheel. 

That's when he drifted off the road and struck Rainwater, according to charging documents.

Simon assumed he hit a mailbox, but when he saw the damaged bicycle in the road, he admitted he became scared and fled the scene. 
When police arrested Simon, they discovered he was in possession of heroin.