At least five people, including two young children, were taken to hospitals Sunday morning after a multi-vehicle crash at a busy Puyallup intersection that investigators later connected to a driver police had tried to contact minutes earlier, according to court documents and police reports.
The collision happened Dec. 21 shortly after 10 a.m. at the intersection of 31st Avenue Southwest and the eastbound on-ramp to State Route 512.
Police say a Honda Civic ran a red light and struck a Honda CRV that was turning onto the on-ramp.
The CRV was carrying a family of four.
All four occupants were taken to hospitals, including a 4-year-old girl who suffered a skull fracture and bleeding in her brain and was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, according to a police report.
A second child had minor injuries.
The children’s mother, who was 27 weeks pregnant, suffered a broken pelvis and later required emergency surgery.
The baby was delivered by emergency C-section and was reported to be alive in the infant intensive care unit, police said in a follow-up report.
The driver of the Honda Civic, identified in charging documents as Rex Charles Graydon, 21, of Graham, was also hospitalized with injuries.
Prosecutors say he faces multiple felony counts, including three counts of vehicular assault, as well as additional charges related to driving and obstructing a law enforcement officer, according to charging documents filed in Pierce County Superior Court on Friday.
Earlier police contact
According to Puyallup police reports, an officer attempted to contact Graydon around 9:55 a.m. after noticing a vehicle that matched a description tied to a previous call in a business parking lot along 31st Avenue Southeast.
Police say the officer did not pursue the vehicle after it left the parking lot.
Minutes later, officers were dispatched to the crash scene at 31st Avenue Southwest and SR 512.
Investigators later determined the vehicle involved in the earlier contact was the same one that caused the collision.
Witnesses told police the Civic entered the intersection against a red light and struck the CRV on the passenger side as it was turning left toward the freeway on-ramp.
Airbags deployed in both vehicles, and firefighters had to free at least one person from the wreckage, according to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue.
Charges and investigation
Prosecutors allege Graydon was driving in a reckless manner and caused serious injuries to multiple people.
Charging documents list three counts of vehicular assault and additional charges that include driving while a license was revoked and failing to stop when directed by an officer.
Court filings say Graydon’s license had been revoked earlier this fall and that he has a history of traffic violations.
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