Driver killed in wreck near Roy on SR-507, causing traffic backups to McKenna
Two vehicles collided Wednesday near Roy, killing one driver and blocking both directions of state Route 507, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The collision was reported at about 6:14 a.m. at 295th Street South, about a half-mile south of Roy, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. State troopers, medical responders and WSDOT personnel went to the scene, trooper Robert Reyer said.
Drivers were asked to avoid state Route 507 in that area. About an hour after the incident was reported, WSDOT’s travel map showed stop-and-go traffic for four miles between Roy and McKenna. Reyer estimated the road would be closed for another two hours.
An initial investigation found a 30-year-old Yelm woman driving north on the two-lane highway was passing other vehicles, Reyer said, and, when she returned to the northbound lanes, her car turned and slid into oncoming traffic, where it was struck by a van. He said the van hit the passenger side of the car, pushing it off the roadway.
Both vehicles had one occupant. Reyer said the driver of the northbound car was pronounced dead at the scene. She has not yet been publicly identified. The driver of the van, a 79-year-old Spanaway man, was transported to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
The drivers were both wearing seatbelts, according to the state patrol. In a news release, troopers said alcohol or drugs weren’t suspected to be factors in the collision.
“It’s just a sad situation for everybody,” Reyer said. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim, but also it’s always hard for us to see somebody pass away. It’s hard.”
A cause of the crash has not yet been determined, Reyer said. It’s unclear what caused the northbound driver to slide into the southbound lane.
This story was originally published February 1, 2023 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Driver killed in wreck near Roy on SR-507, causing traffic backups to McKenna."
