Car crash in South Tacoma kills passenger, seriously injures Tesla driver
A driver crashed into a traffic signal pole Saturday afternoon in South Tacoma, causing life-threatening injuries to himself and killing a woman in the passenger seat, according to police.
Tacoma Police Department said the driver was going west on South 56th Street when he struck a pole at the intersection of Washington Street, two blocks from South Tacoma Way. Police said the car, a Tesla, briefly caught fire.
The intersection was shut down while a collision investigation team responded. In a tweet, police asked drivers to use alternate routes through the area
It’s unclear what caused the crash. Police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said speed is suspected to have been a factor.
Police and Tacoma Fire Department responded to the incident at about 1:15 p.m. The passenger was declared dead at the scene, Haddow said. The driver was transported to a local hospital. Neither person has been publicly identified.
This story was originally published January 7, 2023 at 2:59 PM.
