Mountlake Terrace, Washington – Suspect Crashes Car on I-5 During Chase

Mountlake Terrace, Washington (August 20, 2019) – A suspect crashed his vehicle against a concrete barrier on the Interstate 5 while attempting to turn east onto Northeast 175th Street. He then fled on foot, but was found by an Edmonds police officer with a K-9 dog at the 2100 block of North 178th Street. The dog successfully kept the suspect from escaping, and he was eventually taken in. He was treated for dog bites at the Swedish Edmonds emergency room, and booked into Snohomish County Jail.

The chase started around 1:40 a.m. when police spotted the vehicle associated with the suspect at the 6000 block of 244th Street Southwest. The officer followed the suspect until he drove onto southbound Interstate 5, at which point the officer activated his lights and siren in an attempt to pull the suspect over. The suspect then attempted to escape by turning onto Northeast 175th Street, but ended up crashing and eventually getting caught. He was booked into jail for multiple arrest warrants and for investigation of eluding and driving with license suspended.

About Vehicle Accidents

While this particular incident contains a criminal element, accidents of more common causes can be just as deadly. According to facts from the Insurance Institute Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute, about 20% of vehicle crash deaths are from striking a fixed object along the side of the road. The top three fixed objects that are struck in these cases are utility poles, trees, and similar to this case, traffic barriers. As for the causes of crashing into these objects, the case is generally that of driver error. Some of the top contributing factors are alcohol, driving under excessive speed, falling asleep or simply driver inattention. Additionally, a car crash caused by another vehicle can cause another vehicle to crash into another fixed object. Some situational factors are road conditions, weather, and poor visibility. In relation to poor visibility, almost half of the fatalities in crashes involving fixed objects are said to have occurred at night. While there are options such as placing breakaway or shielding objects along roads, or increasing the visibility of such fixed objects, the best solution is often to remove the fixed object if possible.

Regardless of the type of vehicle accident, the best way to solve a car accident is to try and prevent it. We urge all drivers to follow traffic regulations on the road. This includes following road safety, making sure one’s vehicle is stable and ready for the road, and making sure that one is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Additionally, one should take extra caution on roads where there are possible hazards. In doing these steps, we can ensure our chances of avoiding any loss, damage, death or injuries while on the street.

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