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Judge denies Michael Kelly’s motion to dismiss, finds insurance infraction committed in Lake Forest Park stop
Summary
After a contested hearing in King County District Court, Judge Jennifer Grant denied Michael Kelly’s motions to dismiss, relied on the officer’s sworn narrative and found a failure‑to‑produce proof‑of‑insurance infraction committed, imposing a $559 penalty and allowing a time‑payment option.
Michael Kelly told Judge Jennifer Grant he was stopped in Lake Forest Park on May 19, 2025, and disputed the validity of the traffic stop and the resulting citation for failure to provide proof of insurance. The city submitted Officer Sam Gowen’s sworn incident narrative describing the patrol observation and the issuance of the citation.
Kelly said he was decelerating toward 30 mph when Officer Gowen initiated the stop and that body‑worn camera footage would show the officer had access to records that could have shown insurance coverage. He asked the court to dismiss the citation as an improper stop.
Judge Grant reviewed the officer’s signed statement and the record. She denied Kelly’s motions to dismiss, concluding the officer’s sworn narrative and observations supported the stop and the issuance of the insurance citation. "The statute requires under RCW4630.020 that you are required to have the insurance," the judge said, emphasizing the defendant’s obligation to display proof when asked by law enforcement. The court found by a preponderance of the evidence that the insurance infraction was committed and imposed the $559 penalty.
The judge noted the defendant may appeal within 30 days and also offered a time‑payment plan as a practical accommodation: "We can put you on a time payment plan," she told Kelly, and ordered the clerk to mail paperwork explaining payment options.
Why it matters The hearing illustrates how contested traffic proceedings turn on sworn officer narratives and available documentary evidence (including body‑worn camera footage and incident reports). The decision underscores that, under state law cited in court, a driver's failure to produce proof of insurance at the time of the stop creates a presumption of noncoverage that the court may treat as a basis for citation if proof is not supplied.
What to watch next The court will mail paperwork with the penalty amount and time‑payment instructions. Kelly was told of his appeal right; any timely appeal would be filed with the appropriate appellate body within 30 days of the written findings.
