A lawsuit over the death of David Babcock will be heard in Skagit County courts, instead of Snohomish County, where it was originally filed.
Babcock was shot and killed by a Sedro-Woolley police officer in February 2022. In May 2024, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Snohomish County Superior Court against the City of Mount Vernon, the City of Sedro-Woolley, Skagit County and Maxwell Rosser, the police officer who fired the fatal shots, arguing that all four entities should be held responsible for Babcock’s death.
Since it was filed, the court dismissed Skagit County and the City of Mount Vernon from the lawsuit.
Officers from both entities interacted with Babcock the night he died: a Skagit County sheriff’s deputy followed him for 20 miles, and a Mount Vernon Police Officer attempted a traffic stop. But the court found that neither were a “proximate cause” for Babcock’s death.
With two defendants left, the court granted a request on Thursday, Jan. 9 by the City of Sedro-Woolley and Rosser to move the case into Skagit County, mainly for convenience reasons, arguing that Snohomish County was no longer the proper venue.
The Babcock family is asking for monetary damages including pre-death pain and suffering, fear of death, medical bills and funeral expenses. The lawsuit also cites loss of future potential earnings and enjoyment of life for Babcock, who was 51 when he died, as well as loss of love and companionship and the destruction of the parent/child relationship for his family.
On Feb. 16, 2022, law enforcement officers from Mount Vernon, Skagit County and Sedro-Woolley followed Babcock for more than 20 miles after initial suspicion that he was driving a car with a stolen license plate.
As Babcock drove east on county roads, Rosser and Sedro-Woolley Police Sgt. Paul Eaton went ahead of Babcock and laid spike strips at the corner of North Fruitdale and McGarigle roads. When Babcock swerved around the strips, Rosser, standing along the roadside, fired nine bullets at Babcock’s car and ultimately shot and killed him.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
