Tacoma man, Puyallup teen killed in wrong-way crash on I-5 interchange Sunday morning
Update, April 3: A second person died in a car hit by a driver going the wrong way Sunday on an Interstate 5 interchange in Tacoma, according to the Washington State Patrol. Troopers said a 17-year-old boy from Puyallup died at St. Joseph’s Medical Center.
Troopers did not identify the teenager. He reportedly was not wearing a seatbelt.
Original story: A Tacoma man died in a two-vehicle, wrong-way collision on an Interstate 5 interchange in Tacoma early Sunday morning.
Levi M. Moser, 20, died at the scene of the collision after another driver struck his vehicle, according to a Washington State Patrol press memo. He reportedly was not wearing a seatbelt.
The incident occurred at about 12:44 a.m. on the northbound ramp from I-5 to I-705, Trooper Robert Reyer said.
A 37-year-old Gig Harbor man was traveling south in a Ford F150 pickup truck while in the northbound lanes of I-705, according to WSP. Meanwhile, Moser traveled north on I-5 in a Honda Accord.
The Ford struck the Honda and both vehicles came to a rest in lanes one and two. Troopers closed the roadway for four hours and 30 minutes, per the memo.
Medics pronounced Moser dead at the scene, Reyer said. Two other individuals riding in his Accord suffered injuries. One was a 15-year-old. Other identifying details for the two passengers were either withheld or listed as unknown in the WSP memo.
Both were transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. Only the 15-year-old wore a seatbelt in the Honda, per the memo.
Troopers arrested the Gig Harbor driver on suspicion of driving under the influence, Reyer said. The memo indicates charges are pending for the driver as the investigation is ongoing.
“Consuming alcohol and/or drugs and then driving is something that can lead to a very tragic situation like this,” Reyer said. “We just want to keep reminding the public to please make good choices.”
A 27-year-old Bremerton woman rode in the Ford with the Gig Harbor man. Medics also transported her to St. Joseph Medical Center with injuries, according to the memo. She reportedly did not wear a seatbelt.
Tacoma Fire Department personnel assisted troopers at the scene, Reyer said.
Reporter Peter Talbot contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 2, 2023 at 12:13 PM.
