Woman killed in wrong-way crash on I-5 in DuPont is identified

A DuPont woman who died Thursday in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 5 in DuPont has been identified as Berdie Owings.

Troopers said a 46-year-old Federal Way woman in a Chevrolet Equinox entered southbound I-5 from the DuPont-Steilacoom Road off-ramp about 1:30 p.m. and struck a Suzuki Aerio station wagon driven by an 82-year-old man.

Owings, 69, was a passenger in the station wagon.

The man driving the Suzuki veered into the right lane as he saw the SUV approach just north of the exit. The Chevy’s driver swerved in the same direction and the vehicles collided, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Owings died at a local hospital shortly after the crash.

Her husband and the Chevy’s driver, a 46-year-old Federal Way woman, were both seriously injured and taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma.

Troopers believe the woman was lost and accidentally drove north onto southbound I-5. She could face a charge of second-degree negligent driving. Troopers do not believe she was impaired.

The collision caused an 8-mile backup on I-5.

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 8:20 AM with the headline "Woman killed in wrong-way crash on I-5 in DuPont is identified."