Two hospitalized after DUI crash in Auburn

Two people – including one man from Tacoma – have been hospitalized following a crash early Saturday morning in Auburn.

According to a news release from Washington State Patrol, the two-car crash happened at about 1:47 a.m. while both cars were traveling northbound on state Route 167, near 15th Street Northwest in Auburn.

A 19-year-old Kent man struck the other driver, a 21-year old man from Tacoma, from behind, the release said. The Kent man then crashed into a guardrail on the right shoulder.

“[The Tacoma man] continued northbound and struck the guardrail on the right shoulder before coming to rest in the ditch,” the release said.

Both men were transported to a local hospital with injuries, the release said, and both cars were totaled.

The Kent man is facing a charge of driving under the influence, the release said, which is listed as the cause of the crash.

Isabela Lund

The News Tribune

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Isabela Lund is the Lead Breaking News Reporter at The News Tribune. She previously covered the greater Puyallup area as the East Pierce County reporter. Before joining The News Tribune in February 2025, she served as the digital content manager at KDRV NewsWatch 12 in Medford, Oregon, and as a reporter for the Stanwood Camano News. She grew up in Kitsap County and graduated from Western Washington University in 2022 with a degree in journalism.