Tacoma woman killed in overnight wreck on Interstate 5 that blocked southbound lanes
A 41-year-old woman died Sunday night in a two-vehicle wreck on southbound Interstate 5 in Tacoma, according to the Washington State Patrol. The incident blocked the roadway for hours.
A Mazda carrying three adults and a child was disabled and blocking a lane just north of the interchange to state Route 16 when it was hit by a pickup truck traveling south at about 9:23 p.m., troopers said in a news release.
A passenger in the Mazda was declared dead at the scene, according to the State Patrol, and all other people in the car were transported to Tacoma General Hospital. Troopers said a 13-year-old girl and a 41-year-old man, both from Tacoma, were injured. The sole person in the pickup, a 24-year-old Federal Way man, was not hurt. Everyone involved was reportedly wearing a seat belt.
The cause of the wreck is under investigation. Troopers said they don’t suspect alcohol or drugs were a factor.
All southbound lanes were blocked, and traffic got by slowly on the shoulder, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. By about 11 p.m., the backups stretched about two miles to the Tacoma Dome. The incident was cleared at about 12:45 a.m. Monday.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported which vehicle was disabled and blocking a lane before it was struck.
This story was originally published September 4, 2023 at 9:41 AM.
