1 dead in truck vs tractor-trailer collision near Tacoma Tideflats Saturday morning

A two-vehicle collision on State Route 509 near the Tacoma Tideflats Saturday morning left one driver dead, according to police.

The male driver of a tractor-trailer was traveling westbound on State Route 509, near the Pierce County train terminal. Turning left onto Alexander Avenue East, he did not realize the light had turned red, said State Trooper Robert Reyer.

At 8:08 a.m., the tractor-trailer struck a 1994 Ford pickup truck, killing the male driver. The pickup had been traveling northbound on State Route 509.

Speed did not appear to be a contributing factor, investigators told Reyer.

The driver of the pickup truck was identified as Huan V. Le, a 78-year-old male of Tacoma. Next of kin was notified by the medical examiner, according to a Washington State Patrol memo.

The tractor-trailer driver was identified as Edward T. Scott, a 34-year-old from Bonney Lake. Potential charges are currently under investigation.

Another vehicle was reported as damaged in the collision, the report said.

The intersection of northbound State Route 509 and Alexander Avenue East was blocked for four hours and five minutes on Saturday.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with information from the collision report.

This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 10:41 AM.