“He Chuckled When Told What Happened”: Former MLB Star Dave Edler, 70, Fights to Recover as Beloved Wife Susie, 67, Loses Her Life in Devastating Head-On Crash

For more than three decades, Dave and Susie Edler had shared a life built around family, faith and helping others. Dave was once a Major League Baseball player, then mayor of Yakima, Washington, while Susie stood beside him through years of community service and ministry. But on a Sunday afternoon, their lives changed in seconds. A pickup truck allegedly traveling at high speed in the wrong lane collided head-on with their vehicle. Susie never made it home. Dave was rushed to a trauma center with devastating injuries. And when the suspected impaired driver appeared in court, prosecutors described a reaction so disturbing that it added another layer of heartbreak to an already unimaginable tragedy.

YAKIMA, WASHINGTON — November 11, 2026 — Former Seattle Mariners infielder and Yakima mayor Dave Edler remains hospitalized with serious injuries after a devastating head-on collision that claimed the life of his wife, Susie Edler.

The crash occurred Sunday, November 8, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Coolidge Road near South 76th Avenue in Yakima.

Dave, 70, and Susie, 67, were traveling in their Ford Bronco Sport when a Dodge Ram pickup truck allegedly crossed into their lane and struck their vehicle.

Emergency responders found the couple trapped in the wreckage.

Both were transported to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Susie was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Dave was subsequently airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was treated for two broken arms and significant facial injuries.

Police arrested the other driver, identified as Trevor Allen Stockton, 26.

Investigators suspect alcohol impairment played a role in the collision.

But the tragedy has become even more disturbing following allegations about Stockton’s behavior after the crash.

A Sunday Afternoon That Ended in Tragedy

November 8 began as an ordinary Sunday in Yakima.

Dave and Susie Edler were well-known throughout the community.

Dave had spent years representing the city through baseball, public service and church leadership.

Susie was equally familiar to people who knew the couple through their work at Yakima Foursquare Church.

They had built a life together that extended far beyond Dave’s former professional baseball career.

But at approximately 4:30 p.m., their vehicle was involved in a catastrophic collision.

According to the Yakima Police Department, preliminary evidence indicated that a westbound pickup truck was traveling in an eastbound lane at high speed.

The truck collided with the Edlers’ vehicle.

The impact left both occupants trapped.

Firefighters arrived and worked to remove them from the wreckage.

Both suffered severe injuries.

The emergency response was immediate, but Susie could not be saved.

Dave Edler’s Desperate Fight for Recovery

After being removed from the vehicle, Dave was transported to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital.

His injuries were serious.

According to court documents cited by local reporters, the former baseball player suffered fractures to both arms and substantial injuries to his face.

He was later transferred by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Harborview is a major regional trauma center equipped to treat patients with complex injuries.

As of the latest reports available on November 10, Dave remained hospitalized.

A family fundraiser described him as sedated and receiving medical care.

Local reporting characterized his condition as critical.

However, the family has not released a detailed medical prognosis.

It remains unclear how long his recovery may take or what additional treatment he will require.

At 70, Dave faces the physical consequences of a serious collision while his family simultaneously mourns the loss of Susie.

The Woman Who Shared His Life

Susan “Susie” Edler was 67 years old.

To many people in Yakima, she was far more than the wife of a former professional athlete and mayor.

She was a pastor, mentor, friend, mother and grandmother.

For more than 30 years, Dave and Susie served together at Yakima Foursquare Church.

Their ministry brought them into contact with families across Washington and beyond.

They offered guidance and support through ordinary life challenges and difficult moments.

The Foursquare Church organization remembered the couple’s decades of service.

Its public statement emphasized how deeply their dedication had affected people throughout the region.

Susie’s loss has therefore reached far beyond her immediate family.

It has affected a church congregation and a community that knew her through years of service.

The Driver Accused in the Crash

Police identified the other driver as Trevor Allen Stockton, 26, of Yakima.

According to investigators, he was operating the Dodge Ram pickup involved in the collision.

Officers arrested Stockton at the scene.

He was booked into the Yakima County Jail on suspicion of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault involving intoxicants.

Police initially reported that alcohol was believed to be a factor.

Further details emerged during Stockton’s first court appearance on Monday, November 9.

Prosecutors presented information collected from witnesses, officers and records associated with Stockton’s activities earlier that day.

The allegations suggested that investigators believed he had been drinking before the crash.

However, the investigation remains ongoing, and Stockton has not been convicted.

Nine Drinks Before the Collision?

One of the most concerning details emerged from records obtained by investigators.

According to NBC Right Now and the Yakima Herald-Republic, police found surveillance footage and receipts from a bar Stockton had visited.

The records indicated that nine alcoholic drinks had been purchased on a tab associated with Stockton and his girlfriend.

The purchases reportedly occurred over nearly four hours.

Investigators also interviewed Stockton’s cousin.

She told officers she had seen him drinking during breakfast that morning, around 9 a.m.

Court records indicated that Stockton left the bar approximately six minutes before the crash was reported.

These details became important to the investigation.

But the receipt does not, by itself, establish that Stockton personally consumed all nine drinks.

Nor does it establish his precise blood alcohol concentration.

Authorities reportedly obtained a blood sample for testing.

The official toxicology findings had not been publicly released in the sources reviewed.

The Officer Who Smelled Alcohol

Investigators described additional observations that raised concerns about impairment.

According to the probable cause documents, a drug recognition officer reported smelling alcohol while standing approximately five feet away from Stockton.

The officer also observed red, watery eyes and slurred speech.

Stockton reportedly declined voluntary field sobriety testing.

Police continued their investigation and collected evidence.

Investigators also examined the location of the vehicles and the apparent direction of travel.

The preliminary findings suggested that Stockton’s truck had been traveling in the wrong lane.

However, authorities must still establish the complete sequence of events.

The final assessment may depend on toxicology results, physical evidence and witness testimony.

The investigation has not reached a publicly announced conclusion.

The Courtroom Moment That Shocked Observers

During Stockton’s initial hearing, prosecutors described his alleged reaction to learning about the Edlers’ injuries.

According to court statements reported by NBC Right Now, Stockton appeared to chuckle when informed that the couple had been seriously hurt.

When told that Susie had died, he reportedly responded:

“Okay.”

Deputy Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Jaye Sleeman argued that his reaction demonstrated a troubling lack of concern.

The prosecution also accused Stockton of being argumentative with officers and blaming the other vehicle for the collision.

Those descriptions attracted considerable media attention.

However, they represent statements made by prosecutors and information attributed to investigating officers.

The public should distinguish those allegations from findings established at trial.

Stockton has the right to contest the evidence and present his defense.

Two Different Accounts of the Collision

Investigators also encountered conflicting descriptions of how the vehicles came together.

According to court documents, Dave told police that a truck entered his lane.

The truck then struck his vehicle.

Stockton reportedly offered a different explanation, claiming the Edlers’ car had crossed into his lane.

However, police said their preliminary investigation indicated that Stockton’s truck appeared to be traveling westbound in the eastbound lane.

Investigators cited evidence from the crash scene in support of that assessment.

Those differences will likely be important in the criminal case.

Determining which vehicle crossed the center line is essential to understanding how the collision occurred.

The physical evidence and testimony will need to be evaluated through the legal process.

A Judge Sets Bail at $75,000

Stockton appeared before Yakima County Superior Court Judge Shane Silverthorn on Monday.

The court considered the serious allegations and the evidence described by prosecutors.

Judge Silverthorn set bail at $75,000.

The court also imposed conditions addressing alcohol use and vehicle operation.

According to local reporting, Stockton was required to use an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he operated and participate in alcohol-monitoring measures if released.

NBC Right Now subsequently reported that he posted bail and was released shortly before 6 p.m. Monday.

His arraignment was scheduled for November 18.

These proceedings concern allegations of serious criminal conduct.

No verdict has been reached.

The distinction between arrest, charging decisions, pretrial release and conviction remains important as the case moves forward.

From the Seattle Mariners to Public Service

Dave Edler’s name is familiar to longtime baseball fans.

He grew up in Yakima and attended Eisenhower High School.

He later played college baseball at Washington State University.

In 1978, the Seattle Mariners selected him in the 21st round of the Major League Baseball draft.

Edler made his MLB debut in 1980.

He spent four seasons with Seattle, appearing in 126 games between 1980 and 1983.

He primarily played third base.

His best major league season came in 1982, when he posted a .279 batting average across 40 games.

Over his MLB career, he recorded six home runs and 36 runs batted in.

Although his professional baseball career was relatively brief, Edler later became a prominent figure in the community where he had grown up.

His next chapters would take him into local government and ministry.

The Former Mayor Who Served His Hometown

Following his baseball career, Edler became involved in public service.

He served on the Yakima City Council from 2003 to 2006.

He then became mayor, serving from 2006 to 2010.

His work in city government gave him a different form of public responsibility.

Instead of competing on a baseball field, he was involved in decisions affecting the community.

His political career also increased his local visibility.

Many residents recognized him not only as a former Mariners player but also as a former mayor.

Together with Susie, he continued participating in church and community activities.

The couple became familiar faces to people from different backgrounds.

Their influence came through decades of involvement rather than a single achievement.

That history helps explain the strong emotional response following the crash.

A Church Opens Its Doors for the Family

On Monday, November 9, Yakima Foursquare Church issued a public statement about the tragedy.

The church asked people to pray for Dave’s recovery and for the family mourning Susie.

It also announced that its doors would open at 6 p.m. for a community gathering.

The invitation was extended to anyone wishing to join in prayer and support.

The gathering offered friends, relatives and congregation members an opportunity to come together.

For a church that had been shaped by Dave and Susie’s leadership over decades, the loss was deeply personal.

People were not simply mourning a public figure’s spouse.

They were remembering a woman who had spent much of her life helping others.

At the same time, they were hoping for Dave’s recovery.

A Fundraiser to Support the Edler Family

Following the accident, family supporters organized a GoFundMe campaign.

The fundraiser was intended to assist with the sudden expenses associated with the tragedy.

Those expenses include funeral arrangements for Susie and medical care for Dave.

The campaign also seeks to help family members who are staying near the hospital.

Travel, lodging and meals can create significant financial burdens when someone requires treatment far from home.

The fundraiser described Dave and Susie as parents, grandparents, pastors and mentors.

It emphasized the many lives they had touched.

By Tuesday morning, the campaign had reportedly raised more than $12,000.

The amount may have changed since that report.

For the family, the donations represent both practical assistance and an expression of community support.

The Community They Helped Build

For more than three decades, the Edlers’ work at Yakima Foursquare Church brought them into contact with countless people.

Their roles went beyond formal religious services.

They were involved in mentoring, counseling and supporting families.

Many people knew them personally.

Others had encountered them through community events or public service.

Dave’s years as a baseball player and mayor also expanded those connections.

The accident therefore affected multiple communities at once.

Baseball fans remembered the former Mariner.

Yakima residents remembered their former mayor.

Church members remembered their pastors.

And relatives faced the loss of Susie while hoping Dave would survive his injuries.

Those overlapping connections explain why news of the collision spread so quickly.

A Wider Conversation About Impaired Driving

The crash has also renewed attention to the consequences of driving while impaired.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol-impaired driving remains a major cause of fatal traffic collisions in the United States.

Alcohol can affect judgment, reaction time, vision and coordination.

Those effects can increase the risk of dangerous driving decisions.

In the Edler case, investigators believe alcohol may have contributed to the collision.

But the final determination must come from the evidence.

Prosecutors have cited witness statements, bar records and officers’ observations.

Toxicology testing and crash reconstruction may provide further information.

The case illustrates why allegations involving impaired driving are treated seriously.

A single collision can permanently change multiple lives.

What Investigators Still Need to Determine

Several questions remain unresolved.

Authorities must establish Stockton’s level of impairment, if any, at the time of the collision.

They must determine the precise movements of both vehicles.

They must assess whether excessive speed contributed to the crash.

Investigators will also review the evidence associated with the bar visit and the driver’s behavior afterward.

The criminal proceedings will determine whether the allegations can be proven.

Meanwhile, Dave Edler’s medical recovery remains a separate and deeply personal concern.

His family has not released a detailed long-term prognosis.

No confirmed timeline for his discharge from the hospital has been announced.

For those closest to him, the immediate priorities are his treatment and arrangements to honor Susie’s life.

One Family, Two Different Battles

The Edler family is now facing two painful realities.

First, they are grieving Susie.

Her loss is permanent.

The woman who helped lead a church community for decades will not return home.

Second, they are supporting Dave as he receives treatment for severe injuries.

His recovery remains uncertain.

The family must navigate medical decisions, funeral arrangements and the emotional consequences of losing someone they loved.

At the same time, a criminal case is moving through the courts.

Those legal proceedings may eventually provide more answers about the collision.

But even a final verdict cannot undo what happened on Coolidge Road.

The Sunday Drive That Changed Everything

On Sunday, November 8, Dave and Susie Edler were traveling together through Yakima.

Their lives had already included extraordinary chapters.

Dave had played Major League Baseball.

He had served as mayor.

Together, they had spent more than 30 years helping people through their church.

Then came the collision.

Their vehicle was struck head-on.

Both were trapped in the wreckage.

Emergency responders rushed them to the hospital.

Susie did not survive.

Dave was transferred to a trauma center with serious injuries.

And a 26-year-old driver was arrested as investigators examined whether alcohol impairment and dangerous driving caused the crash.

What had been an ordinary afternoon became a tragedy that left one family mourning and an entire community hoping for a survivor’s recovery.

Remembering Susie and Praying for Dave

Dave Edler may be remembered by baseball fans for his years with the Seattle Mariners.

He may be remembered by Yakima residents for his time as mayor.

But the people who know him and Susie through their church describe something more personal.

A couple who spent decades serving others.

A husband and wife who raised a family.

Grandparents who were deeply loved.

And community leaders whose influence reached across generations.

Now, Susie’s family is preparing to say goodbye.

Dave remains in medical care.

And the investigation continues.

For more than 30 years, Dave and Susie helped other people navigate life’s most difficult moments. Today, the community they served is gathering around their family in its own time of need.

There are still legal questions to answer.

There is still a long road of medical care ahead.

But one truth is already clear.

Susie Edler’s life meant a great deal to the people who knew her.

And Dave Edler’s recovery matters to a community that has watched him serve in many different roles.

A family has lost a beloved wife and mother. A former baseball player is fighting to recover. And an entire city is remembering the couple whose lives were devoted to helping others.