Her illegal driving has killed, injured or maimed others for nearly 15 years now.

KIRO Team 7 Investigators found out why she's still on the road following yet another alcohol-fueled accident.

Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne uncovers a system that fails to punish even the worst drivers on our roads.

Angela Bastrom has a long history of traffic infractions. Court records show four DUIs. She's been picked up 10 times for driving on a suspended license and involved in a felony fatal hit-and-run. She doesn't have a license to drive, but KIRO Team 7 Investigators videotaped her driving an SUV to a Kent area Circle K convenience store anyway. She went inside to buy beer for her commute home. Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne was outside when Bastrom came out to ask her some tough questions about her behavior.

Chris: "Angela? Chris Halsne KIRO TV."
Angela: "Get your cameras off of me."
Chris: "You're not really going to get in the car and drive are you? You don't have a license. You know you don't have a license."

KIRO Team 7 Investigators knew we'd catch Bastrom standing here (cold beer in hand, heading to her car) because we've been videotaping her habits for months. On surveillance, we witnessed Bastrom repeatedly driving, speeding, swerving, drinking beer, all activities the courts have said she should not do.

We started our investigation after Terry Read, one of Bastrom's casualties, gave us a call about her illegal driving.

Read says Bastrom rammed a car into him last June and told us, “I had four broken ribs, a punctured lung. I had nine stitches in my eyelid. You can see that there. Then, I had reconstructive surgery on my whole jaw, it was shattered right here. I got a plate and four bolts in my jaw here.”

Read was standing next to his parked car talking to friends when Bastrom plowed an SUV.

This police report says she was "highly intoxicated" after a party, then got behind the wheel. Read doesn't remember much about the collision, but says he did see Bastrom earlier drinking alcohol,

“She was trashed. Couldn’t even understand her.”

Police also say Bastrom had no insurance and her driver’s license had long been revoked. Despite all that apparent evidence, Read has not seen any justice. The Pierce County Prosecutors Office hasn’t filed any charges; not given Bastrom a single ticket for causing this accident since that day four months ago.

Read added, “I did more time in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), than she did in jail. It’s kind of disturbing.”

Bastrom's traffic history is a true roadmap of judicial apathy. It's a tangled web of plea deals, reduced charges, and waived fines. Going back decades, court records show drunken driving convictions, a ticket for passing a stopped school bus, and multiple failures to appear in court warrants. Then, there's this: A fatal hit-and-run where Bastrom was convicted of fleeing the scene of the accident where a 4-year-old boy died.

Back at the Circle K parking lot, Bastrom wasn't too happy to see KIRO Team 7 Investigators.

Angela: I'm going to sue for your invasion of privacy if you don't get away from me.

Chris: "We're here because we're concerned about you driving without a license. You've been picked up four times for DUI. 10 times for driving without a license. And you're going to get in this car and drive home?"
Angela: "No I am not."
Chris: "What do you have in the bag?"
Angela: "Sir, that's none of your business. Get the **** away from me."
Chris: "In the past, we've seen you buy beer? You got two Mickey's in there?"
Angela: "Get the **** away from me before I sue the **** out of both of you. Who are you anyway?"
Chris: "My name is Chris Halsne. I'm an investigative reporter with KIRO-TV."
Angela: "Then, get away from me. If you print anything about me, I'm suing the hell out of you."
Chris: "Why would you sue me for printing the truth?"
Angela: "Because you don't have my consent. I went to school for journalism, so you know **** well I know what I'm talking about. So get the **** away from me."

We showed our videotape and Bastrom's long list of traffic infractions to State Representative Al O'Brien. He's a former Seattle cop who arrested hundreds of drunk drivers in his day.

CONTACT O'BRIEN E-mail Al O'Brien

O’Brien says, “I was in law enforcement for a long time. I don't understand why she hasn't served some more serious jail time for this many violations. I'm concerned about that.”

O'Brien added he will use his influence in the coming legislative session to target habitual traffic violators like Bastrom for heavier punishment, including real prison terms.

“These people are not getting the message. They are putting the community in danger and at risk. That's why we have to get more serious about this.”

Victim Terry Read agrees, but really just wants one thing: “Make sure she's off the road and this doesn't happen to somebody else.”

Chris: “Can we talk to you about the accident you were in this past summer?”
Angela: “No, you can't.”

Bastrom, so far, has escaped any true accountability, still driving without a license whenever she feels like it.

Court records show police have pulled Bastrom over and issued her traffic citation on at least 18 occasions. Even counting the fatal hit and run, her punishments have been minimal. Since 1986, Bastrom has spent a zero days in prison, 55 days in jail, 35 days on home detention, been fined about $6,000 and sentenced to alcohol treatment three times.

The Pierce County Prosecutors Office says they are still "reviewing" her June accident for possible charges.