Susie Edler, the wife of former Yakima Mayor and Seattle Mariners player Dave Edler, was killed Sunday afternoon in a head-on collision in Yakima County, Washington. She was 67. Her husband, 70, suffered critical injuries and was flown to a Seattle hospital for emergency treatment. A 26-year-old driver was arrested following the crash, which police believe may have involved alcohol.
The collision happened around 4:30 p.m. November 8, on Coolidge Road near South 76th Avenue, in the 7600 block of the roadway. The Edlers, who both lived in Yakima, were traveling together in one of the vehicles when the crash happened.
According to the preliminary investigation, the 26-year-old driver was heading west on Coolidge Road but was traveling in the eastbound lane. Police said he was also driving at a high rate of speed when his vehicle struck the Edlers’ car head-on. The force of the collision left both vehicles’ occupants facing serious consequences.
Susie and Dave were rushed to MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Despite efforts to save her, Susie was pronounced dead at the hospital. Dave’s condition required further treatment, and he was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The other driver, who is also from Yakima, was arrested at the scene. He was booked into the Yakima County Jail on charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault. Investigators believe alcohol may have played a role in the collision, although the investigation is still ongoing.
For people in Yakima, the news carries an especially painful weight. Susie and Dave were known not only as a married couple but also for the years they spent serving their community through ministry and public life. They spent 24 years helping lead Yakima Foursquare Church, where their work extended beyond a single congregation to a growing network of churches.
Their time leading the church came to a formal transition in April 2019, when their son, Jacob, and daughter-in-law, Chantal, took over as lead pastors. Dave remained involved in the wider Foursquare movement, taking on leadership responsibilities that included overseeing churches across several surrounding states.
Dave also spent years in public service. He joined the Yakima City Council in 2003 and became mayor in 2006. He held the position until 2010, becoming a familiar name in local government and community affairs. His work in the city gave him another role through which he connected with residents.
Before his years in ministry and politics, Dave had a professional baseball career. He played for the Seattle Mariners from 1980 through 1983, mainly as a third baseman. He made his Major League Baseball debut on September 4, 1980, after playing college baseball at Washington State University.
His baseball career also included time in the Mariners’ minor-league system before he returned to Yakima and entered ministry. A 2009 profile by Washington State University described his move from professional baseball into church leadership and public service.
Now, the crash has left Susie dead and Dave fighting for his recovery. What began as an ordinary Sunday afternoon drive ended in a tragedy that has deeply affected a couple whose lives had been closely tied to the Yakima community. Police have not announced any further details about the investigation.
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