One dead after driver’s brakes fail, semi crashes into warehouse in Pierce County
One man is dead Monday after crashing a semi-trailer into a building at Waller Road and Pioneer Way East in the Tacoma area.
The 45-year-old man was driving downhill on Northbound on Waller Road around 7:30 a.m. and was unable to brake when he reached the intersection, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
The driver avoided hitting several cars before the trailer tipped over and hit a warehouse. The impact crushed the driver’s cabin.
The man died at the scene.
Washington State Patrol confirmed that the brakes were defective, and the driver couldn’t stop. Witnesses say the driver was going the speed limit and there were no skid marks on the road indicating the breaks were working.
No one else was hurt in the incident.
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 3:15 PM.
