An incident yesterday afternoon resulted in the death of a pedestrian on State Route 16. The accident occurred near South 19th Street, prompting an immediate response from the Washington State Patrol, who were contacted at 1:01 p.m.
The News Tribune reported that a vehicle traveling westbound struck an individual now identified as the victim of this collision. Trooper John Dattilo confirmed the fatality at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was investigated for driving under the influence, but it appears that impairment was not a factor in the regrettable event, with no current criminal charges pending.
Adding to this, it was identified by The Washington State Patrol that the pedestrian emerged abruptly in the path of the couple, both in their 70s, who were traveling in a middle lane of the westbound side. The details, as reported by KIRO7, indicate the suddenness of the pedestrian's actions may have left little room for the driver to react and avoid the grave outcome.
Following the incident, westbound traffic on SR 16 was diverted as authorities conducted their thorough investigation. The blockade, which lasted for several hours, caused significant traffic delays before lanes were reopened. According to a report from KOMO News, the pedestrian is believed to have been standing in the westbound lanes before the collision. The reasons behind this behavior, along with other factors contributing to this incident, remain subject to the ongoing WSP investigation.
Drivers who witnessed the accident or have relevant information are being urged to come forward to assist with the investigation. The Westbound lanes, after being closed to facilitate the initial response by WSP and the collection of evidence, were opened later, restoring traffic to its normal flow.
