Updated on: 11/11/2019
Three men from Olympia were injured after the driver veered off of Yelm Highway and crashed into a tree Thursday night.
According to official reports of the car accident, the 26-year-old driver was headed eastbound on Yelm Highway in a 2002 Toyota Celica when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree, injuring the driver and his two passengers.
The driver and one of the passengers were taken to St. Peters Hospital in Olympia. The other passenger, who sustained more serious injuries in the accident, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Police say speed played a factor in the crash and that drugs or alcohol were involved. The investigation is ongoing, but the Washington State Patrol says that vehicular assault charges are pending against the driver.
Impaired Driving Statistics
- Nearly one-third of auto accident fatalities involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
- Approximately 30 people die in traffic accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver each day in the United States – that’s equal to one death for every 48 minutes.