A 24-year-old Federal Way woman is in serious condition after she was involved in a four-car accident on Interstate 5 Monday night.
According to the Washington State Patrol, at around 7:18 p.m., a 34-year-old man from Seattle was driving southbound on the right shoulder of I-5, just north of State Route 18. His 2006 BMW 750 collided with the woman’s 1999 Honda CRV, causing it to roll over. Her vehicle crashed into a Tacoma driver’s 2015 Subaru Legacy, and both of their vehicles came to a rest on the right shoulder. The 56-year-old man driving the Subaru was not injured but the woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center.
After the man from Seattle hit the Federal Way woman, he continued across I-5 and hit a fourth vehicle, a 2013 Honda Civic, which was driven by a 62-year-old woman from Port Ludlow. She had a 26-year-old woman from Seattle as a passenger. Both occupants were transported to St. Francis Hospital. Their vehicles finally came to a rest on the left shoulder, and the roadway was blocked for nearly two-and-a-half hours as Washington State Patrol investigated the scene.
Troopers believe the suspect was speeding on the right shoulder of I-5 and, as he re-entered the traffic lanes, he struck the woman driving the Honda CRV.
Everyone involved in the accident was wearing their seat belt. The man officials say caused the accident was arrested for vehicular assault and transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Webb said he will be booked into King County jail on two outstanding felony warrants after he is released from the hospital. His warrants include a $500,000 Seattle warrant for identity theft with no bail and an escape from community custody warrant from Olympia.
“We won’t have the toxicology results back for several weeks but drugs are believed to be the cause,” Webb said in an email, adding that the man will likely see a judge within 24 to 48 hours of being booked into jail.
Anyone with information about this collision is asked to call or contact Detective Russ Haake at russ.haake@wsp.wa.gov or 425-401-7717.
