Olympia, Washington – Car Crashes Into Wall After Police Chase

Olympia, Washington (June 30, 2019) – A speeding vehicle crashed into a retaining wall on E Street Southwest following a police chase which began on northbound Interstate 5 in Chehalis. The speeding driver, a 36 year-old man, got out of the crash and  attempted to flee on foot, but was cornered by witnesses until police arrived. However, while the driver was arrested without incident, he suffered a medical event and was rushed to a hospital in Olympia, but was pronounced dead. A medical examiner will determine the cause of death. A 43 year-old woman was also found in the same car, but she has been questioned and released without incident.

A Lewis County deputy had first noticed the man driving in an erratic manner on the Interstate 5 just before 5:30 p.m. When the deputy attempted to pull the car over, the man fled, and was described to have been continuing to drive erratically, speeding and passing cars on the shoulder. On reaching Olympia, a spike trip was deployed to disable the car, but the attempt failed. The man later exited at Deschutes Parkway, but eventually lost control and crashed at E Street Southwest.

About Vehicle Accidents

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 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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