MJP –
After an early Friday morning crash involving a driver who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, all northbound lanes of Interstate 5 were closed near SeaTac, Washington. There were major traffic delays and responses from several emergency services as a result of the event, which happened shortly after 2:00 a.m.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) reports that two automobiles were involved in the collision. On I-5, close to the South 188th Street exit, an automobile was involved in a collision with another vehicle after a driver who was believed to be under the influence lost control.
The drivers and passengers of both cars were sent to local hospitals for treatment of injuries that did not require immediate medical attention.
According to WSP Trooper Rick Johnson, the driver who was suspected of driving under the influence was apprehended immediately after the incident. Trooper Johnson stated that impairment seems to play a role in this crash. “Our priority now is to ensure the safety of everyone involved and to clear the roadway as quickly as possible.”
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Quickly arriving at the site were emergency workers, including paramedics and firefighters. For the duration of the investigation, drivers were redirected off Interstate 5 at South 200th Street. Workers spent the better part of the morning clearing the highway of wreckage and removing the damaged vehicles.
People in the vicinity experienced heavy traffic jams because of the accident and the road closure that followed. Until the lanes could be opened again, commuters were asked to find alternate routes and stay off the impacted section of I-5. Members of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) were present to aid with traffic control and to coordinate the road’s reopening.
The reopening of all northbound lanes of I-5 occurred around 7:30 a.m. The WSP is not done looking into what happened before the crash.
The incident highlights the risks of drunk driving and the possible outcomes of impaired driving. Stay alert and call the police if you see someone driving in a hazardous or suspicious manner; that’s the message from the authorities.
