A 20-car pileup caused backups on northbound I-5 near the King/Pierce County Line during the Monday morning commute.
According to Trooper Kameron Watts with the Washington State Patrol (WSP), there was debris in the roadway that originally caused a 10-car pile-up, but that quickly escalated to approximately 20 vehicles being involved.WSP added later that callers reported a small one or two-car crash that caused debris on the road. Someone ran over the debris, which was likely a bumper or a muffler, and became disabled. Other cars then hit pieces too, causing a massive domino effect.
The crash was first called out around 5 a.m. this morning, according to Trooper Watts.
As of 5:51 a.m., WSP says that multiple cars with flat tires were pulled off to the right shoulder with tows and WSP troopers en route, and that only one involved party had been taken to the hospital so far.
Traffic was only getting by in the far right lane.At around 6 a.m., the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported there was about a 4-mile backup from the King County line to the Puyallup River due to the collision. WSDOT told drivers to pack their patience as the incident would likely take a while longer to clear.
By around 6:30 a.m., Trooper Watts confirmed that the total number of vehicles involved was 21, with just one person taken to the hospital. Nobody else complained of injuries, the trooper added.
According to Trooper Watts, most of the collisions were car vs. debris, and some were minor car-to-car collisions.
Just before 7 a.m., WSDOT reported that three lanes were reopened, but the HOV and left lane remained closed.WSDOT asked that drivers please slow down and give crews the room they need to work.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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