Vehicular Homicide, Reckless Driving Charges Filed in Death of Bicyclist

Charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving were filed Monday against Nathan Jeremie Godwin of Redmond in the death of a Kirkland bicyclist last Thursday in the Totem Lake area.

Godwin, 26, is accused of driving under the influence when he hit and killed software engineer Bradley Nakatani at about 3 a.m. Thursday while driving a Ford Excursion. Nakatani died instantly of a skull fracture and other injuries.

According to charging documents, Godwin told Kirkland Police after the crash that he was under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and the prescription medications Suboxone, which he uses to treat an opiate addiction, and Lexapro, an anti-depressant. He also admitted to going 60 mph in the 35 mph zone, the documents state, and told police he thought he had hit a cyclist but only turned around to return to the scene after a passenger in his vehicle told him to do so.

His blood alcohol level measured .078 about an hour after the crash.

Godwin was taken to the King County Jail in Seattle Thursday and in his first court appearance on Friday, bail was set at $500,000. He posted bond late Friday evening and was released.

Godwin's formal arraignment has been set for Dec. 22 at the King County Courthouse in Seattle. If convicted of the charges, Godwin faces a standard sentencing range under state guidelines of 36 to 48 months in prison.

For earlier Patch stories on the crash, click here and here.