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Child recalls horrific crash on Highway 2

Quick Facts:

  • Eight people hurt in Highway 2 crash involving five vehicles
  • Children involved recall what it was like
  • Driver who police say caused the crash admitted to smoking pot before the crash

“I was thinking my mom was going to die,” said 11-year-old Nekila Halk, calm and brave as she described Monday night’s crash along Highway 2.

The five-vehicle crash injured eight people, including five children.

Troopers said the driver of a Dodge Durango didn’t stop when cars ahead of it were waiting to make a left turn on Highway 2, east of Monroe. The Dodge clipped a van ahead of it and veered into a head-on crash with an oncoming van filled with children.

The van flipped upside down on the side of Highway 2 after the impact. The driver had to be extricated and four children-- including a 5-year-old-- were among those critically hurt.

The Washington State Patrol told KIRO 7 that the driver of the Durango, 26-year-old Heather Lee of Marysville, had a marijuana pipe in the vehicle. She also had two young children, ages 1 and 5, in the vehicle with her.

Halk blacked out for a time when the Dodge Caravan she was riding in was hit head-on by an oncoming vehicle.  She was riding with her mother Angella Halk, two older brothers, little sister Saffire and friend Levi Johnson.

“The fact that no one expected anyone to live and we're all walking that's amazing,” said Kameren Halk, who also was in the van.

Angella has a broken arm and femur, one older brother has a lacerated intestine and Johnson has a crushed skull.

The children are staying with their grandmother Deborah Burland, while their father, Michael Halk, is at Harborview Medical Center.

“I think God put his hand down on this crash and saved a lot of people,” Michael said, without showing anger toward the driver state troopers said caused the crash.

However, Burland was not so reserved.

“She just nearly wiped out half my family in one fell swoop because of a choice she made,” Burland said.

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