One dead, one hospitalized following head-on crash on SR-18 in Auburn

AUBURN, WA – A head-on crash on State Route 18 in Auburn on Thursday night left one driver dead and another in the hospital.

According to KOMO News, authorities were initially alerted of an SUV traveling the wrong-way in the eastbound lanes of SR-18 around 7:30 p.m. The car then crashed into an oncoming minivan near the intersection with Auburn-Black Diamond Road, forcing the minivan to strike a barrier and overturn before catching fire.

When authorities arrived, they found the minivan driver deceased at the scene.  The driver of the SUV, a 39-year-old man, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

At this time, it is unclear why he was traveling the wrong way before the accident.

Trooper Rick Johnson said he will be arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

All traffic on the freeway was shut down until around 12 a.m.

If more information regarding the nature of the crash or identity of the victim are released, we will update this blog.

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