One Killed in Crash with Two Semi-Trucks on I-5 in Kent, WA
Kent, WA — June 30, 2022, a 51-year-old man died in an afternoon collision with two semi-trucks on Interstate 5 in Kent.
According to reports the incident happened around 3:45 p.m. on northbound I-5 near State Route 516. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim was driving a Ford Fusion slowly on the northbound shoulder, then attempted to merge into the highway's right travel lane.
As the car merged it was hit by a semi-truck, which pushed it into an adjacent lane. It was then hit a second time by another semi-truck.
The Ford driver was pronounced dead at the scene. One truck driver reportedly received minor injuries; the other was unhurt.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation but impairment is not suspected as a factor.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Truck Accident on I-5 in Kent
Reports suggest the victim may have tried to merge into the road at a bad time, but I'm hesitant to accept that as the whole story. Many crashes are actually the product of several factors, rather than just boiling down to one as the news suggests. Other details must be accounted for to make sure the truth is known. For instance: How fast were both trucks traveling on the highway? What about the car on the shoulder--how fast was it going when the driver tried to merge? Were all three drivers paying full attention to the road? What are sightlines like along that stretch of road? Was there other traffic around? Could or should the truck drivers have taken other action to prevent the collision or lessen its damage?
I don't ask all those questions to try and warp the story or make accusations. Closer investigation could confirm neither truck driver had time or space to avoid the car, and I'm not suggesting otherwise. However, as I said before most accidents are actually due to multiple factors happening at once. Saying the crash boiled down to an unfortunate merge attempt when other factors might also have been involved could keep the whole truth from being learned. I can't even tell you how many "official" police reports I've seen where we found critical details that went wholly overlooked during the preliminary effort.
That's why it's best to conduct an independent investigation and find the facts. The sooner the whole story is known and proven, the sooner any further steps can be determined.
