1 dead, another injured after vehicle crashes into light pole in Pierce County
A driver is dead after he crashed his car into a light pole in Parkland early Wednesday morning.
Deputies were dispatched at 1:40 a.m. to 104th Street Court South and South Steele Street. Both the driver and female passenger were extracted by fire department personnel, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune.
They were both taken to a local hospital. The 46-year-old man died at the hospital. The 38-year-old woman is in critical condition, Cappetto said.
Prior to the crash, deputies were dispatched to the Hard Luck Bar & Grill on Park Avenue for reports of a shooting, Cappetto said. No one was injured. The alleged shooter reportedly left in a white SUV.
The car involved in the crash matched the description of that vehicle.
Cappetto said deputies do not know what led up to the crash, although speed might have been a factor. It is currently unknown if the driver was intoxicated. A gun was found on the 46-year-old man.
An investigation is ongoing to see if the crash and shooting are related.
May 14 update:
The connection between the wrecked car and the earlier shooting has never confirmed by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
“There were no victims that came forward from the shooting, no castings located, no damage to buildings and no victims to report any harm or damage from the gunshots heard. No suspects were ever able to be identified. There was nothing to follow up on, and therefore, the shooting was never linked to the deceased male,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune via email May 14.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man killed in the crash as 46-year-old Robert A. Posey. He died from blunt-force trauma of the chest in an accident, the office wrote in its public information portal.
The family of Posey issued a statement to The News Tribune taking issue with initial information released by law enforcement. They say Posey was not involved in the earlier shooting and that his passenger was not critically injured.
“We are asking for a thorough investigation. Our family is tremendously grieving and deserve an apology for the false info released to news outlets,” the statement said.
Posey’s brother told The News Tribune that he was a brother, father to four kids and well-loved in the community.
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 10:54 AM.
