Police chase, wreck snarling I-5 traffic out of Pierce County
Commuters leaving Pierce County on Interstate 5 for points north are running into delays Wednesday morning.
A collision near state Route 18 in Federal Way has closed three northbound lanes, resulting in a 3-mile backup as of 6:15 a.m.
Washington state trooper Rick Johnson reported on X that the wreck occurred after troopers pursued a car that fled during a law enforcement contact.
“Troopers had a vehicle take off when contacted in rest area. Tires spiked after a short pursuit. The vehicle was involved in a non-injury collision. Two in custody,” Johnson tweeted.
There was no immediate estimate for when the lanes would re-open, according to WSDOT.
Sound Transit reported about 6:30 a.m. that Express Routes 574, 586, 590, 592, 595 traveling north were delayed 40-50 minutes because of the collision.
Update: All lanes have reopened on I-5, WSDOT said in an update.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 6:30 AM.
