Redmond driver accused of striking and killing pregnant jogger charged with negligent driving | 911

The driver of a car that struck and killed a pregnant jogger near Chelan has been charged with negligent driving.

Prosecutors say 69-year-old John Batjer of Redmond fell asleep at the wheel moments before the Memorial Day weekend crash that killed Lise Marie Palmer of Puyallup as she jogged along SR-97A. Palmer was struck and killed as Batjer's Volvo crossed the shoulder and slammed into the guardrail.

A greater charge of vehicular homicide was considered, prosecutor Gary Riesen said, but he decided Batjer's actions didn't meet the criteria.

"In order to file Vehicular Homicide charges, the state must establish that the offending driver was either under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving recklessly, or driving with disregard for the safety of others," prosecutors wrote in a news release. "In this case, the driver was tested for both drugs and alcohol and found to be free of both at the time of the accident."

Risen said there was also no evidence Batjer was driving recklessly in the period before the crash.

Meanwhile, On Aug. 20, a few miles from her grave site in Heritage Park, there will be a run in Palmer's honor. You can find more information about it at