Washington State Patrol identified Sebastian Gomez, 48, of Sumas, as the man who died late Friday after his SUV left State Route 547 and struck a tree. Troopers said Gomez was the vehicle's only occupant and was not wearing a seatbelt. The agency said a sudden medical issue preceded the departure from the northbound highway.
The crash occurred near milepost 8 on SR 547, Washington State Patrol said. Gomez's black 2006 Ford Expedition was totaled, and troopers said drugs or alcohol were not contributing factors. The agency worked with the Sumas Police Department and Whatcom Peer Support on next-of-kin notifications. As My Bellingham Now reported, troopers have not specified what medical issue caused Gomez to lose control of the vehicle.
State Route 547 in Whatcom County
SR 547 is a state highway in Whatcom County.
WSDOT paving work near Sumas
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, a paving project included full-depth pavement repairs, crack sealing and new pavement markings on SR 547 between Saar Creek and the Sumas River, from mileposts 9 to 10 east of Sumas.
That history fits a broader countywide pattern. Lane departures contributed to 36% of all traffic fatalities in Whatcom County between 2021 and 2025, according to Washington State Traffic Safety Commission data cited by Salish Current. The same report frames lane departures as a major contributor to fatal rural crashes across the county.
Seatbelt Use and a County Bucking the Statewide Trend
Gomez's lack of a seatbelt also reflects a troubling local statistic. Whatcom County recorded 14 traffic fatalities in 2025, up from 12 the year before, even as statewide numbers improved, according to Whatcom County traffic safety data analyzed by PNW Daily.
Statewide, the picture looks different. Traffic fatalities involving unrestrained occupants fell 18% in 2024 compared to 2023, following a 60% surge in unrestrained deaths between 2019 and 2023, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission reported. Washington maintains one of the highest seatbelt compliance rates in the nation, at over 93%, per the same commission data. PNW Daily also noted that statewide traffic fatalities involving drivers 70 and older hit an all-time high of 112 deaths in 2025.
What a Medical Emergency Means Legally
The sudden emergency doctrine concerns situations in which an emergency occurs through no negligence and requires an immediate choice. Foreseeability is the central legal threshold in these cases; if the emergency could not have reasonably been anticipated, fault does not attach to the driver.
Separately, state law lays out how driver medical fitness is monitored going forward. Under RCW 46.20.041, the Washington Department of Licensing is required to evaluate drivers reported to have physical or mental conditions affecting safe driving, and it may require confidential medical examination certificates from licensed physicians before restricting or canceling driving privileges, according to the Washington State Legislature. Those medical evaluation reports remain confidential and are exempt from public disclosure, which is consistent with why the exact nature of Gomez's medical episode has not been made public.
