2 Tacoma children were among 5 killed in single-car crash near Puyallup
Two Tacoma children were killed alongside three other people when an SUV struck an overpass post and caught on fire near Puyallup on Sunday.
At about 4:20 a.m, a 2017 Ford Flex carrying five people was traveling east on state Route 512 near Puyallup when the driver drove off the road and crashed into one of the posts that supports the overpass at 31st Avenue Southwest. The SUV caught on fire and all five people died at the scene, according to Washington State Patrol.
The eastbound roadway was blocked for more than eight hours, a WSP news release said.
Two of the passengers were 11-year-old girls from Tacoma and another was a Sumner man whose age has not been released yet. There was a third female passenger whose age was not released. It was reported she was not wearing a seat belt. The driver was a 29-year-old from Sumner, the release said.
The names of the and causes of death will be released by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Washington State Patrol said they are seeking witnesses to the fatal crash, as well as anyone who has additional information about what may have led to the incident, a media release said.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Evan Clark at (360) 688-3408 or at evan.clark@wsp.wa.gov. They can also contact Detective Sergeant Jason Kraus at (360) 870-4598 or at jason.kraus@wsp.wa.gov.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives in this tragedy. We are also grateful for the patience of those affected by the more than eight-hour road closure as we conducted our on-scene investigation,” the release said.
This story was originally published January 15, 2024 at 8:41 AM.
