A wrong-way driver slammed into another car head-on Sunday night on State Route 509 in south Seattle, killing both drivers and turning a heavily traveled stretch of highway into a fatal crash scene, according to authorities.
The collision happened in the southbound lanes just south of Cloverdale Street. Washington State Patrol said both drivers died at the scene. Investigators identified the wrong-way driver as a 21-year-old man from Kent and the other driver as a 71-year-old man from Seattle.
Troopers said it is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol were factors, and the investigation remains ongoing.
What officials say
According to FOX 13 Seattle, the Washington State Patrol provided the initial details about the crash, including the drivers' ages and hometowns. The agency confirmed both drivers died at the scene and said troopers are conducting a standard collision investigation that includes a full scene reconstruction.
Officials have not released a timeline for toxicology or other lab results.
Where it happened and safety context
The crash unfolded on a heavily used stretch of SR 509 that connects south Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport, a corridor the Washington State Department of Transportation is currently upgrading as part of its SR 509 Completion Project. According to WSDOT, the project includes new interchanges and expressway segments intended to improve safety and freight mobility.
Wrong-way crashes are relatively uncommon but disproportionately deadly, and WSDOT has documented a rise in such incidents while testing detection systems and improved signage. Those statewide trends help explain why troopers treat head-on collisions like this one as high-priority investigations.
Next steps in the probe
Troopers said investigators will reconstruct the scene and await lab and toxicology results before determining whether impairment, driver error or potential vehicle issues played a role. Per FOX 13 Seattle, investigators have not yet announced when additional details will be released.
