AUBURN, Wash. — A driver was arrested for DUI and vehicular homicide after a deadly three-car crash shut down southbound State Route 167 for more than five hours Friday morning.
According to a Washington State Patrol (WSP) report released around 7:30 a.m., the crash happened just north of SR 18 around 1:39 a.m.
WSP said a 33-year-old Tacoma man driving a Toyota Scion lost control, struck the left Jersey barrier, and stopped in a traffic lane. Investigators believe the driver then got out of the vehicle.
A second vehicle, a Tesla driven by a 44-year-old man from Roy, struck the Toyota driver and his car, according to WSP. According to the WSP report, the driver landed between two lanes and was then struck by a third vehicle.
Officials confirmed that he died at the scene.
The Tesla driver was injured and taken to Valley Medical Center. The driver of the third vehicle, a 48-year-old Graham man, was not injured.
WSP believes drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, and arrested the Tesla driver on suspicion of DUI, hit-and-run, and vehicular homicide.
Southbound SR 167 was blocked for approximately five hours while authorities investigated the crash.