Passenger killed in suspected DUI wreck near Roy identified by medical examiner

Peter Talbot
·2 min read

A 19-year-old man who was killed last month near Roy when the driver of the car he was in wrecked at high speed on a rural Pierce County road was identified Tuesday.

Alex Pulley, 19, died of multiple blunt-force injuries Sept. 25 near the 800 block of 304th Street East, about six miles east of Roy, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office. Family of the victim said Pulley loved life and his family.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies initially said they suspected the person driving the car Pulley was in, a 21-year-old man, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when the crash occurred. The driver was transported to an area hospital after the crash, and his blood was drawn for toxicology testing. Deputies said he was expected to be charged with vehicular homicide.

A representative from the Sheriff’s Department wasn’t available Tuesday to provide an update on the investigation.

Alex Pulley, 19, was a passenger in a vehicle that wrecked last month on a rural Pierce County road east of Roy. Pulley was killed in the crash.
Alex Pulley, 19, was a passenger in a vehicle that wrecked last month on a rural Pierce County road east of Roy. Pulley was killed in the crash.

The wreck occurred at about 1:50 a.m. Deputies said the driver was traveling west on 304th Street when he went off the road to the south, and the vehicle rolled several times. Based on the damage to the car, a deputy who went to the scene said the driver was going at an “incredibly reckless” speed. Deputies said the speed limit on the road is 35 mph.

Pulley’s mother, Lori Sheldrew, 52, said her son was born in Lakewood and grew up in Spanaway. He attended Bethel High School and worked as a roofer. Sheldrew said Pulley had many friends and was loved by his nieces and nephews. She said Pulley, whose nickname was Bugs, was taken too soon.

“He was the sweetest young man I’ve ever met,” Sheldrew said. “His Mama, I miss him terribly.”

A relative of Pulley, Kyrah Sheldrew, started a GoFundMe to raise money to help with funeral costs. According to the fundraiser, the man had a contagious energy and was the light of everyone in the family.

Family and friends of Pulley gathered Sunday at Spanaway Lake to celebrate his life. Lanterns were floated onto the water at sunset.