A car crash on Tacoma's Eastside left one person dead and another in critical condition early Wednesday, after the vehicle appeared to strike a tree near East Portland Avenue and East 66th Street. Tacoma Fire crews arrived to find one occupant still trapped inside the wreckage and another already dead.
According to KOMO News, Tacoma Fire responded at 2:19 a.m. to a vehicle accident at the intersection, where the car appeared to have hit a tree. The surviving patient was still inside the vehicle when the first fire engine arrived on scene.
Firefighters Free Survivor From Wreckage
Crews worked quickly once they reached the crash site. The station's report states that firefighters opened the vehicle door, pulled the surviving patient out, and transported that person in critical condition to a local hospital. A second person who was still inside the vehicle was dead when crews arrived, per the same account.
Tacoma police are now investigating the crash, though the circumstances that led the vehicle to leave the roadway have not been detailed publicly. No information has been released identifying either person involved.
Not the First Tree-Strike Crash This Year
The overnight wreck echoes another fatal Tacoma crash from earlier this year. A man in his 40s died in May after a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed left the roadway and struck a tree, according to The News Tribune. That crash happened in the 7400 block of South Oakes Street, with officers called to the scene at about 4:45 a.m., and the paper reported no other vehicles were involved. The News Tribune noted that incident remained under investigation, including questions about the driver's speed and possible drug or alcohol involvement.
Tracking Fatal Crashes Citywide
Tacoma has an ongoing effort to monitor crash patterns across the city. Per the City of Tacoma, officials closely track the number and locations of crashes to identify trends and measure progress toward eliminating fatal or serious-injury collisions, using data supplied annually by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Statewide, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission maintains a dashboard tracking traffic fatalities, serious injuries, and progress toward the state's Target Zero safety goals.
No further details about Wednesday's crash, including what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway or the condition of the surviving victim, had been released as of the time of the report. Tacoma police's investigation remains active.
