A high-speed crash on Tacoma's Tideflats early Tuesday left one person dead and another fighting for their life after a car smashed into a utility pole and sparked a fire at a busy intersection.
The wreck happened around 12:25 a.m. at 72nd Street East and Portland Avenue East, according to Tacoma Police Department spokesperson Shelbie Boyd. She told the The News Tribune that officers arrived to find a vehicle that had been traveling at high speed before it struck a power pole. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, and another was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Investigators are still working to determine where each victim was seated in the vehicle.
Crash scene and investigation
Boyd described what officers encountered as “a pretty bad scene,” with signs of fire at the crash site, the paper reported. Investigators stayed at the intersection to document evidence and coordinate with utility crews working to secure the damaged pole and surrounding area.
Tacoma Police have not yet released the names of the victims. Detectives are still piecing together how the crash unfolded and have not said whether any charges might be filed as the investigation continues.
Portland Avenue safety and planned fixes
The City of Tacoma has flagged Portland Avenue as a higher-risk corridor and folded that stretch into its Vision Zero safety efforts in the Six-Year Transportation Program. According to the City of Tacoma's Six-Year Transportation Program, projects along Portland Avenue are aimed at slowing vehicle speeds and improving safety for people walking and biking. City planners also note that the road’s freight role near the Port of Tacoma can make clearing collisions and setting up detours more complicated.
How to help
Anyone who saw the crash or captured it on video is asked to call the Tacoma Police Department non-emergency line at (253) 287-4455, per the Tacoma Police Department. Police also encourage people with information to contact TPD Media Relations as detectives continue their work. This story will be updated as officials release more details.
