KING COUNTY, SEATTLE: A 21-year-old driver who killed a cyclist in a hit-and-run crash in West Seattle more than a year ago was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday, September 22, 2023, according to reports.
Mohamed A Yusuf pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and hit and run for the collision that killed Robb Mason, a 63-year-old massage therapist and avid cyclist, on July 15, 2022.
How was Robb Mason killed?
Robb Mason was riding his electric bike home from his workplace in West Seattle when he was hit by Yusuf’s Hyundai Elantra.
The vehicle reportedly sped through an intersection at over 50 mph, twice the legal speed limit, and fatally struck Mason before driving off without stopping to give him aid, as reported by The Seattle Times.
Mason’s wife, Claudia Mason, told the court at Yusuf’s sentencing hearing on Friday, “Each day is another day of the life sentence” she faces without her husband.
She said he was “talented” and “remarkable” and had “so much to give and offer other people.” She also called Yusuf “reckless, vicious, callous, cruel … a coward” and “a thief.”
How did Yusuf react after getting sentenced to four years?
Yusuf apologized to Claudia Mason and asked for her forgiveness.
He said he was “stupid and ignorant” and afraid of what to do after the crash. “Please forgive me if you can," West Seattle Blog reported.
Judge Andrea Darvas was surprised when Yusuf’s defence lawyer asked to propose a “first-time offender waiver.”
Judge Darvas said Yusuf owed two things, "To live a life that would make up for cutting Mason’s life short, and “a penalty.”'
She told Yusuf that what he did was “breathtakingly selfish and self-absorbed” and chided him for not taking responsibility “until the police found you," the report mentioned.
How was Mohamed A Yusuf found?
After hitting Mason, Yusuf briefly slowed down but then sped away.
He reportedly did not stop to see how Mason was doing, nor did he report the incident to the authorities or seek emergency help.
He was tracked down by a meticulous investigation that involved a Ring camera recording of him admitting he was driving “55mph” near his home, several confessions he made on his social media accounts, and searches he did.
The searches included “hit and run death of cyclist,” “how long does marijuana (weed) stay in your system?” and links to news articles on this specific event.
He per the report sent a video of the police knocking on his door and shared that his lawyer told him not to answer.
256 days Yusuf spent on electronic home will be applied to his 4-year sentence
The 256 days that Yusuf has spent on electronic home monitoring will be applied to the 4-year sentence as “credit for time served.”
He will also face a year of community custody (probation) after he is released.
Robb Mason was a massage therapist from California who ran his own practice and also worked at a physical therapy clinic. He loved sports, fitness, and travelling.
He opened his own practice, RMBodyWorks, in 2003 and also worked at Highline Physical Therapy in West Seattle.
He supported a child in Ecuador and hiked with his family in Switzerland.
Mason’s death sparked outrage and grief among the cycling community in Seattle. More than 100 people participated in a memorial ride in his honour last year, according to one report.
