A driver behind the wheel of a reported stolen vehicle died Wednesday morning after slamming into a King County Metro bus at high speed just south of Kent, injuring passengers on board and shutting down the roadway for hours. The crash happened at the intersection of South 277th Street and 83rd Avenue South in unincorporated South King County, between Kent and Auburn.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, the crash happened at around 6:56 a.m. and involved a car that was reported stolen and likely hit the bus at a high rate of speed, per the King County Sheriff's Office. The driver died from injuries sustained in the collision, deputies said.
Accounts of the vehicle involved vary slightly between outlets. KOMO News reported that a woman speeding in a stolen Hyundai SUV rear-ended the bus, with King County deputies responding to the scene at around 7 a.m. The Kent Reporter similarly placed the sheriff's office response at about 7 a.m. to the same intersection, describing it as just south of Kent and north of Auburn.
Passengers Hurt, Bus Driver Unharmed
Reports differ on the scope of injuries suffered by those riding the bus. FOX 13 Seattle reported that multiple people riding the bus were injured and taken to a nearby hospital, while the bus driver was not injured. KOMO News, however, reported that three passengers on the bus had non-life-threatening injuries.
The King County Sheriff's Office Major Accident Response Team is investigating the crash, according to the reporting. The stretch of roadway where the collision occurred was closed for several hours as crews worked the scene, the Kent Reporter noted.
What Remains Unknown
The identity of the driver who died has not been released in any of the available reporting. It also remains unclear exactly how many bus passengers were hurt, given the conflicting figures, or the full extent of their injuries beyond the report that three were considered non-life-threatening. No information has been released about whether the investigation will result in charges, and the outcome of the sheriff's ongoing probe has not yet been made public.
