In a tragic sequence of events, Pierce County was rocked by three separate wrong-way collisions early Sunday morning, with one accident resulting in two fatalities. The deadly crash took place on westbound State Route 512, where the driver responsible was reported by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to have been traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes. Tragically, the driver had a woman and a one-and-a-half-year-old infant as passengers in the SUV, as confirmed by FOX 13 Seattle.
The Washington State Patrol has released information detailing that the two victims from the SR 512 crash did not survive the incident and an additional person's injuries were so severe that their status couldn't be shared. Authorities have attributed the accidents to a driver under the influence. Trooper Dattilo further revealed that this crash was not an isolated incident – it was just one of the 10 DUI arrests made that Saturday night in Pierce County. Shockingly, these wrong-way crashes were three of such cases occurring over three hours, a first of its kind for Dattilo in his career.
With 30 fatal crash incidents in Pierce County last year and already 10 by mid-May this year, according to WSP, the concern for roadway safety continues to escalate. Last year, Pierce County reported 1,262 DUIs, and already halfway to that number this year.
In the aftermath of the collisions, the WSP issued a statement offering their "sincerest condolences to the families of those involved in today's incidents, especially of the two victims who died on 512," as per KOMO News. The authorities have pledged a thorough investigation to provide answers to the families devastated by these senseless tragedies.
