Mason County Fatality Investigated as Vehicular Homicide

Shelton, WA - The Mason County Sheriff’s Office was notified just four minutes after midnight on Tuesday morning, May 15, 2012, of a traffic accident on E. Mikkelsen Road, just north of Shelton. Responding Deputies, Firefighters and Emergency Medical workers found that the single vehicle with four occupants had left the roadway.

Three male occupants sustained different stages of injuries while one female occupant had died. Deputies Identified the male occupants as Dylan J. Burke, age 24, Jason J. Brown, age 31, and Cody R. Laney, age 21. The deceased female was identified as Terra K. Dittmer, age 38. All four occupants resided in Mason County.

According to witness statements, the four had been celebrating Laney’s 21st birthday at the Towne Pub in Shelton and Burke was to be the designated driver.

The vehicle, a 2003 silver Mercedes Benz was registered to Dittmer. Burke was identified as the driver by his injuries as well as witness statements. Brown and Laney were passengers. Laney was transported via helicopter to Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle for a broken leg and internal bleeding; and Burke was transported via ambulance to Mason General Hospital for leg and head injuries.

Today, May 16, 2012, Burke left Mason General Hospital, but later turned himself in to Deputies at the Mason County Jail. Burke will appear before a Mason County Superior Court Judge sometime this week.