‘Slow down’: 8-12 car crash in Tacoma likely caused by icy roads, troopers say
A multi-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on the ramp from state Route 7 to northbound Interstate 5 in Tacoma was likely caused by ice on the road and drivers going too fast, Washington State Patrol troopers said.
No one was seriously injured in the crash, which involved eight to 12 cars, including a State Patrol vehicle. Trooper Robert Reyer said one person was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
The crash occurred not long after troopers were called to the scene for a Toyota Prius stuck in a ditch in that area around 2:45 a.m. While a trooper was attending to the driver, multiple cars struck each other, the patrol car and barriers, Reyer said.
The ramp to northbound Interstate 5 was blocked for several hours while troopers investigated the collision. The road was reopened by 7:30 a.m.
Reyer said black ice on the road was probably the reason for the crash. The National Weather Service office in Seattle tweeted that near-freezing temperatures combined with rain showers made black ice likely on roadways Tuesday morning.
Black ice is clear ice that can be difficult to see on the road. Reyer said drivers may feel comfortable going faster now that snow has melted, but he advised drivers to take it slow while daily low temperatures continue to stay near-freezing this week.
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 7:51 AM.
