Driver flees state trooper in Tacoma, leading to fiery wreck

A driver fleeing from a state trooper collided with a car in Tacoma, seriously injuring its driver, the Washington State Patrol reported Tuesday.

The intersection of 72nd Street East and McKinley was blocked, trooper Kameron Watts wrote in a post on X about 9:30 p.m.

Watts said the incident began when a trooper attempted to stop a vehicle, which drove away and hit another car despite the trooper not initiating a pursuit.

The fleeing vehicle caught fire, and the trooper pulled the driver to safety, Watts said. The other driver was trapped inside their car.

“The driver of the victim vehicle needed extraction from the fire department and has serious injuries,” Watts said.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 9:48 PM.

Adam Lynn

The News Tribune

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Adam Lynn is the local news editor at The News Tribune. He has worked as a journalist for more than 35 years, most of it in Washington state. Outside of work, you might find him huffing and puffing on a hiking trail or yipping an 8-ball in the nearest pool hall.