Award-winning broadcast journalist with 30+ years of experience covering stories that impact Washington — from major investigations to regional news.
‘I thought police couldn’t chase me’: Woman with 47 arrests gets 23 years for murder in Thurston County crash Gina Munna , 70, died in a head-on collision in 2024 caused by Nicole Romanoff , seen in court during her sentencing in 2026.
of a stolen truck in Thurston County on September 7, 2024. It’s what Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said she effectively told deputies after they caught her down the road from the wreck. Gina Munna was a passenger in the car Romanoff hit head-on. She didn’t steal anything.
She wasn’t running from anyone. She was riding in a car on a Thurston County road when Nicole Romanoff’s learned confidence in Washington’s no-pursuit culture killed her.to murder. At sentencing, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Christine Schaller rejected the prosecution’s recommended range of 16 to 20 years and handed down approximately 23 years in prison. It was the right call.
And it’s worth understanding exactly what Judge Schaller was sentencing, because the story doesn’t start with the crash. Romanoff spent that day driving a stolen truck through a Lacey neighborhood, asking homeowners for fentanyl. When one of them refused, she tried to run him over. He retreated behind a tree to survive.
Deputies located Romanoff on SR 510, passing cars in a no-pass zone at excessive speeds and nearly causing multiple head-on collisions. When they tried to stop her, she blew through red lights. They couldn’t keep up. After deputies caught her down the road, she showed no remorse.
She told them she believed that if she drove recklessly enough, law enforcement was required to break off the chase and let her go. Harger: Sound Transit is bleeding money while Seattle debates fare gates. San Francisco just showed us exactly what they do Harger: Portland pays $5.19. Seattle pays $5.74.
The difference has a name: the Climate Commitment Act In 2021, the legislature passed HB 1054, which gutted the state’s police vehicle pursuit authority. Before that law, officers needed only reasonable suspicion to initiate a chase. HB 1054 raised the bar to probable cause for most offenses, effectively ending pursuits for the vast majority of crimes. Governor Jay Inslee signed it.
The results were immediate and measurable. The Washington State Patrol logged nearly 8,000 incidents of drivers refusing to stop for troopers in the years that followed. Car theft records shattered. Law enforcement watched suspects simply drive away.
The legislature made a partial fix in 2023 with Senate Bill 5352, restoring reasonable suspicion for a narrow list of offenses. For most crimes, the hands-off policy stayed in place. It took a voter-driven initiative to finish the job. Initiative 2113 passed the Legislature 36-13 in the Senate and 77-20 in the House, restoring reasonable suspicion as the standard for any crime.
It took effect June 6, 2024. Three years of street knowledge doesn’t reset on a date Romanoff’s belief that reckless driving was a get-out-of-jail card wasn’t paranoia. It was learned. Washington’s Democratic majority spent three years building that lesson into the culture, then passed a voter initiative and called it corrected.47 arrests, and the system kept letting her go At the time of the crash, Romanoff had 47 prior arrests.
Four felony convictions. Twenty-five misdemeanor convictions. Three active warrants outstanding. A suspended driver’s license.
And a serious drug problem that, as Sanders noted, was likely the driving force behind all of it.
“Nicole would not be facing a 23-year murder sentence, and Gina would still be alive, if Nicole’s underlying problems were resolved in a secure facility sometime during her first 47 arrests,” Sanders wrote on. “Continuously releasing Nicole back into society set no one up for success: not her, not her victims, and not the law enforcement officers tasked with mitigating her destructive behavior.
” Sanders also asked the question the system has been ducking for years: “At what point are we going to acknowledge that the safest place for the 1% of individuals who cannot function in society without hurting others is within a secure detention facility where treatment is ready and waiting for them? ”Judge Christine Schaller went above the guidelines. Here’s why that matters Prosecutors recommended 16 to 20 years.
Judge Schaller looked at this record, looked at what happened to Munna, and decided the guidelines didn’t cover it. She sentenced Romanoff to approximately 23 years. I’ve spent time on this program calling out judges who treat serious crimes like scheduling inconveniences. Today is different.
Judge Schaller understood that some cases exceed the formula. Munna deserved a system that stopped Nicole Romanoff long before September 7, 2024. She deserved lawmakers who understood that no-pursuit policies have consequences. She deserved a revolving door that someone had the sense to close.
‘I thought police couldn’t chase me’: Woman with 47 arrests gets 23 years for murder in Thurston County crash "I thought police couldn't chase me if I drove recklessly. " That's what Nicole Romanoff believed when she got behind the wheel of a stolen truck in Thurston County three years ago. Seattle Public Schools’ new superintendent has moved to restrict phones for elementary and middle schoolers, but not high schoolers. That’s where he lost me.
Dear Ursula, I feel completely lost and alone. I’ve been engaged to my fiancé for 27 years, and until recently, I was always included in his family. Harger: Sound Transit is bleeding money while Seattle debates fare gates. San Francisco just showed us exactly what they do 61% of Link light rail riders actually pay their fare.
San Francisco looked at numbers like that and built fare gates. Seattle is looking at numbers like that and scheduling more meetings. Harger: Portland pays $5.19. Seattle pays $5.74.
The difference has a name: the Climate Commitment Act Oregon is even more instructive than Idaho. Same coast. Same grid. Same progressive politics.
No Climate Commitment Act. The statewide average there is $5.12. Redmond HVAC contractor earns triple recognition in 60 days, reflecting a shift in how homeowners vet contractors Three independent organizations that evaluate home service contractors each reached the same conclusion: Home Comfort Alliance is among the most reliable in its market. WSECU Community Champion: Chrystal Ortega’s mission to feed Spokane Chrystal Ortega's tireless dedication recently earned her the WSECU Community Champions Award and a $1,000 grant to further the mission.
When Shawn Tibbitts opened Tibbitts FernHill, he was just trying to survive. The small Tacoma restaurant has since earned culinary awards and praise. Wilcox Family Farms is continuing its cherished holiday tradition of giving back by donating nearly one million eggs to food banks across the South Sound region this season. Matthew Ballantyne has transformed that early awareness into action, embodying the organization's mission:"No Kid Sleeps On The Floor In Our Town.
"‘I thought police couldn’t chase me’: Woman with 47 arrests gets 23 years for murder in Thurston County crash
Nicole Romanoff Gina Munna Murder
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bluetooth's Ongoing Struggles: Why a 30-Year-Old Technology Remains FlakyDespite decades of development, Bluetooth continues to be plagued by connection issues, audio problems, and unreliability. This is due to a combination of factors including interference from other wireless technologies, the limitations of the 2.4GHz band, and the technology's original design for data transfer rather than audio streaming.
Read more »
Timothée Chalamet & Kylie Jenner’s Date Night Turns Into a 30 Rock ReunionLiz Lemon and Paul Atreides, together, at last.
Read more »
30 Years Ago Today, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Proved It Could Succeed Without Super Sentai30 Years Ago Today, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Proved It Could Succeed Without Super Sentai
Read more »
Harger: Sound Transit is bleeding money while Seattle debates fare gates. San Francisco just showed usAward-winning broadcast journalist with 30+ years of experience covering stories that impact Washington — from major investigations to regional news.
Read more »
WA gas prices hit all-time record overnight: What Iran, the CCA, and the state gas tax are costing you -Award-winning broadcast journalist with 30+ years of experience covering stories that impact Washington — from major investigations to regional news.
Read more »
Thorsby man sentenced to 30 years for production of child sexual abuse materialAccording to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mathew Louis Hourany, 36, of Thorsby, pleaded guilty in January to producing child phonography on at least six separate occasions with multiple victims.
Read more »