‘His parents want answers’; Troopers seek information on driver who left man for dead in Poulsbo

Family of hit-and-run victim looking for answers

35-year-old Robert Rathvon was hit and killed near State Route 3 in Poulsbo over the weekend. Troops and his family are calling on the public for help finding who hit him.

POULSBO, Wash. - Robert Rathvon was killed in a hit-and-run in Poulsbo on Dec. 9, and now his family and Crime Stoppers are offering a $26,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and charge filed in the case.

Investigators believe the 35-year-old man died near SR 3, sometime between late Friday night on Dec. 8 and early Saturday morning on Dec. 9.

WSP detectives say Rathvon had just finished working a seven-day rotation at his job as a Life Flight pilot, and decided to stay at a local hotel. He walked to a downtown restaurant where he had dinner, leaving the restaurant prior to midnight. Rathvon, who was unfamiliar with the area, began walking back to his hotel, and it is believed he took a wrong turn, eventually ending up on the Finn Hill exit ramp.

Rathvon was last spotted on surveillance video in the area of Viking Way and Finn Hill shortly after midnight.

Detective Krista Hedstrom, who is leading the investigation, says it was hours before anyone noticed he was there.

Around first light on Saturday, people began calling in to report a body on the roadside.

"I have a hard time understanding how somebody could do this and just drive away and think that there’s no consequence for it," said Hedstrom. "If you were the driver and you were involved, I would imagine it would be weighing heavily on your conscious. A person can only carry around that secret for so long."

Hedstrom spent the last week collecting evidence. She has obtained surveillance footage and interviewed witnesses.

"If you saw something or know something, come forward," said Hedstrom. "I think Robbie’s family deserves that. His parents want answers."

FOX 13’s Lauren Donovan spoke with Rathvon’s family at their Camano Island home. Parents Kathryn and Will are heartsick. They said their son has lived a life of Indiana Jones proportions. For eight years, he worked as a pilot in Indonesia, safely navigating in and out of some of the most remote landing strips on the planet. Most recently, the University of Washington graduate was working in the Peninsula as an air ambulance pilot.

"It’s hard enough losing Robbie, dear Robbie. But it’s really hard not knowing what happened," said Kathryn.

"Think about if it was your friend, your child, how you might be feeling," said Will. "It’s devastating."

If anyone was in the area of SR 3 and traveling northbound on SR 3 between Silverdale and Poulsbo on the evening of Friday, Dec. 8 around midnight, through 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, any available dash cam video is requested to place any vehicles in the area at that time. Additionally, anyone with any information regarding vehicle with any recent front end damage, expected to be on the passenger side front, to include the hood and windshield, are encouraged to come forward with tips.

If you have any information, dash camera footage or surveillance video, contact Detective Krista Hedstrom at 360-731-1108, or email Krista.Hedstrom@wsp.wa.gov. Tipsters can also call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or text a tip through the P3 Tips App. It is anonymous.