Davis Law Group, P.S.

Man killed in Burien after driving wrong way on highway

DESCRIPTION: A man was driving south in the northbound lanes of Highway 509 just south of 128th street when his vehicle hit a Ford Explorer head-on, sending it into the car directly behind it. The driver of the wrong-way car tried to flee the scene by jumping over the median into the southbound lanes and was hit by four, potentially five, vehicles. His body was thrown under the ambulance that was arriving and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The other drivers and their passengers were sent to Harborview Medical Center with serious to critical injuries. The accident shut down the highway for over four hours.

TYPE OF ACCIDENT: Motor Vehicle Accident
CAUSE:  Driving the wrong way on the highway
DATE: October 19, 2010
TIME: ~7:00am
LOCATION: South 128th Street and Highway 509, Burien
NUMBER OF VEHICLES:8
     CARS: 4
     TRUCKS/SUV's: 1
     MOTORCYCLES: N/A
     PEDESTRIANS: N/A
NUMBER INJURED: 5 (?)
NUMBER DECEASED: 1
DRUGS OR ALCOHOL INVOLVED: N/A
PERSONS INVOLVED: 11 (?)
VEHICLES INVOLVED: 8
INVESTIGATING AGENCY: Washington State Patrol
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: Harborview Medical Center
LEGAL ANALYSIS:   The reason the man was driving the wrong way on the highway or why he tried to flee the scene is still unknown. The investigation is ongoing.