A 35-year-old Steilacoom woman is under investigation on multiple felony charges after Washington State Patrol says she crashed her SUV on southbound I-5 near DuPont and then stabbed a 9-year-old girl after the occupants exited the vehicle. Two military soldiers stopped to help, and viewer-submitted photographs appeared to show one soldier holding someone down.
According to FOX 13 Seattle, the crash unfolded around 9 a.m. when the woman, driving an SUV with two children inside, struck the left-side barrier, veered to the right shoulder, then swerved left and hit a semi-truck in the middle lane. The SUV struck the barrier a second time and rolled over, coming to rest near Exit 118. The semi-truck driver was not injured, though the truck sustained reportable damage, the station reports.
State troopers relayed to MyNorthwest that all three occupants managed to exit the overturned vehicle before the woman attacked the children with a knife.
Soldiers From Nearby Base Intervene
Two military soldiers stopped to help after the crash, per the same FOX 13 account, and viewer-submitted photos appeared to show one soldier holding someone down.
The 9-year-old girl suffered multiple broken bones and a stab wound, FOX 13 reports, while a 15-year-old girl was injured but not seriously. Both children were hospitalized following the crash. FOX 13 reported that the girls were 9 and 15.
Charges Under Review Span Multiple Felony Statutes
The woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation and is being investigated for DUI, vehicular assault, and first-degree assault, per FOX 13's reporting. Under Washington RCW 9A.36.011, first-degree assault is a Class A felony punishable by up to life imprisonment and a $50,000 fine; the statute includes alternative means, including force likely to cause great bodily harm or death, and does not require a deadly weapon in every case, according to the Washington State Legislature. Separately, vehicular assault under RCW 46.61.522 is a Class B felony carrying up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine when impaired or reckless driving causes substantial bodily harm, which legally includes bone fractures.
In domestic-violence cases, courts have broad authority to impose no-contact orders, while felony first appearances typically occur within 48 hours, according to Schroader Law.
Construction Near DuPont
The stretch of I-5 near DuPont's Exit 118 and Exit 119 was the site of a multi-year Washington State Department of Transportation project extending HOV lanes and adding a diverging diamond interchange linking DuPont to the base; the project has been completed.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of Monday's crash, and the woman's toxicology results, her mental health status during evaluation, and the precise physical condition of the hospitalized 9-year-old remain unresolved as the investigation continues.
