A wrong-way, suspected DUI driver caused a four-vehicle collision on northbound I-5 near the South 272nd Street exit Friday evening, Oct. 4, 2024, resulting in serious injuries and blocking the roadway for nearly four hours.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the driver of the wrong-way vehicle was injured and transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
It is unclear whether the driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
The driver is facing charges of vehicular assault and driving under the influence (DUI).
The incident began when the driver entered the freeway from the eastbound S. 272nd Street off-ramp, traveling in the wrong direction onto northbound I-5. Three other vehicles were exiting the freeway at the time.
The wrong-way vehicle struck the second vehicle head-on before continuing and hitting a third vehicle. The third vehicle spun out and was broadsided by a fourth car. The wrong-way vehicle then veered off the road, rolling over and coming to rest upside down in a ditch.