A 16-year-old Federal Way High School junior was killed late Friday night after a two-vehicle crash sent one of the cars careening off the road and onto a sidewalk, striking him as he stood nearby. Police arrested a 29-year-old man suspected of driving under the influence on suspicion of vehicular homicide, and by Saturday more than 150 people had gathered at the crash site to mourn a boy friends and family identified as Deejay Tuiasosopo.
According to KOMO News, officers responded at about 10:48 p.m. to the 30400 block of Pacific Highway South for a fatal collision involving a pedestrian. The two vehicles collided at the intersection of Pacific Highway and South 304th Street, and one of them left the roadway and struck the teen while he was standing on a nearby sidewalk. The Seattle Times reported that police later arrested the 29-year-old driver on suspicion of vehicular homicide after he was suspected of driving under the influence.
Teen Died Despite Efforts at the Scene
Police officers and fire personnel provided aid to the teen, but he died at the scene, the station's report states. Both drivers reportedly remained at the scene following the crash, and the Major Accident Investigation Team was continuing to investigate as of Saturday. Friends and family identified the victim to KOMO News as Deejay Tuiasosopo, a junior at Federal Way High School and what loved ones described as a beloved member of the football team.
No further details about the identity, booking status, or any formal charges against the arrested driver have been made public. Under Washington law, a driver can be found guilty of vehicular homicide when a person's death results within three years from injuries proximately caused by the driving of a motor vehicle, according to RCW 46.61.520 as published by the Washington Legislature.
Candles, Posters and Balloons Mark the Site
By Saturday, visitors had turned the crash site into a makeshift memorial, bringing candles, posters, flowers and balloons to honor Tuiasosopo. More than 150 people visited to pay their respects, per the same account from KOMO News, a gathering that reflected how deeply the loss was felt among his classmates, teammates and the broader Federal Way community.
A Second Fatal Pedestrian Crash on the Same Corridor
Tuiasosopo's death is the second fatal pedestrian crash on Pacific Highway South in Federal Way in recent months. A 41-year-old man, Vinny Todd Buttafuoco, died on Sept. 6 after being struck while walking in the northbound lanes of the same roadway, according to the Federal Way Mirror. In that earlier case, the driver showed no signs of impairment and no criminal charges were referred, the outlet reported — a notably different outcome than the DUI arrest in Tuiasosopo's case.
The two crashes come amid broader statewide trends. Washington recorded 659 traffic deaths in 2025, down from 737 in 2024 and 809 in 2023, according to the Washington State Standard. The share of those deaths involving impaired drivers also fell, to 45% in 2025 from 50% the year before. Fatal crashes involving speeding declined as well, while deaths involving a distracted driver fell from 138 in 2024 to 103 in 2025.
Even with those overall declines, people on foot remain especially vulnerable. Crashes killed 160 pedestrians and bicyclists statewide in 2025, down only slightly from 170 in 2023, per the same Washington State Standard analysis. Pedestrian deaths specifically have stayed near record highs in recent years, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, underscoring the risk faced by people simply standing or walking near busy roadways like Pacific Highway South.
