Semi-truck driver killed in fiery crash on I-5 in Tacoma last month is identified

A semi-truck driver who died in September on Interstate 5 when his truck caught fire after colliding with a barrier was identified Friday.

Harold Gaule, 64, died on the interstate near Portland Avenue East in Tacoma of multiple blunt force and thermal injuries as well as smoke inhalation, according to a news release from the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The office said the man was from San Juan Capistrano, California. His death was ruled an accident.

The Washington State Department of Transportation reported the crash occurred at about 2 a.m. Crews from Tacoma Fire Department responded and found Gaule inside the semi-truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 1:52 PM.

Peter Talbot

The News Tribune

Peter Talbot is a criminal justice reporter for The News Tribune. He started with the newspaper in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at NPR in Washington, D.C. He also interned for the Oregonian and the Tampa Bay Times. Support my work with a digital subscription