A 22-year-old Costco employee has been charged with murder after allegedly running down a coworker with his car in a jealous rage. Tyler Martin Sorensen of Renton, Washington, is accused of fatally striking Jonathon Langdon on July 31.
Prosecutors allege Sorensen developed a possessive attitude toward a female coworker, Samantha Peterson, whom he referred to as his “ex-girlfriend,” despite Peterson stating they never dated and that she had repeatedly asked Sorensen for space.
According to charging documents, Sorensen became enraged when he witnessed Peterson and Langdon hugging in the Costco Headquarters parking lot in North Issaquah, Washington. Sorensen allegedly revved his engine and drove erratically through the parking lot, narrowly missing the couple. He then texted friends, "Always told me he was just a friend. My blood is boiling," along with a photo of Peterson and Langdon.
Sorensen is accused of waiting approximately 10 minutes for Langdon to leave the parking lot on his motorcycle before following him in his sedan at a high speed. Prosecutors claim Sorensen swerved into the back of Langdon's motorcycle, causing the 20-year-old to be thrown into a roadside sign. Langdon died at the scene.
Investigators allege Sorensen continued driving after the collision, stopping only to inspect damage to his own vehicle. He was later pulled over and ticketed for speeding by a Washington State Patrol trooper, who was unaware of the fatal hit-and-run that had occurred nearby.
Authorities stated that Sorensen returned to the crash scene only after his father learned about the incident and brought him back to surrender to police. Upon his arrest, Sorensen allegedly told officers, "it was stupid but I, I was, I meant to do it."
Peterson reportedly told investigators that she and Sorensen never dated and that she had warned him he was "crossing boundaries" and "needed space."
Elaine S. Lee, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for King County, requested that Sorensen be held on $2 million bail, stating that "The defendant refused to accept the boundaries set by Samantha Peterson, who wanted nothing more than friendship with the defendant… he believed if he could not have Ms. Peterson, no one could."
Sorensen faces three felony charges, including second-degree murder, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly using his car to intentionally strike or endanger Langdon, and criminal attempt for allegedly taking direct steps toward committing a violent offense. His vehicle sustained significant front-end damage in the incident.