19-year-old woman killed in head-on crash in University Place is identified
A 19-year-old woman killed in a head-on collision in University Place has been identified.
Marchalakia “Merci” Johnson, of Kent, died Sunday of multiple blunt force injuries, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Department has not released information about the crash itself but said it was called about 1 a.m. to a collision in the 6700 block of 35th Street West.
The first deputy on scene found Johnson dead inside a severely damaged Mazda 3.
About a block east, deputies found a heavily damaged Cadillac STS with no one inside.
A single black shoe was found, as well as evidence that the driver might have been injured before fleeing the collision site.
Neighbors reported hearing a crash, seeing two other vehicles stop and people yelling “about getting out of there,” according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators tracked down the owner of the Cadillac, who told deputies their son had been injured and was at a local hospital.
Deputies went to the hospital and found a 17-year-old boy with a shoe matching the one found at the crash scene.
A blood draw was done to determine whether the teen boy was driving under the influence.
He remains hospitalized.
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 2:24 PM.
