‘She was just a light’: Pregnant mother, child killed by drunken driver in Olympia

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A 31-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy were killed, and another child was injured, following a wrong-way DUI crash in Olympia.

Investigators said a Jeep was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes and hit a Chevy Malibu that was traveling southbound.

Samantha Denney and 2-year-old Adonis Miller were killed. An 8-year-old girl who was also in the Chevy was injured.

Friends told us the two kids in the car were Denney’s children. We were also told Denney was pregnant.

Saturday night, Denney’s friends remembered her as someone who had a huge heart.

“She was so independent and strong. She was such a great mother. She was just a light,” said Cara Ebeling, a friend of Denney. “Now all I want to do is call her. It’s all I want to do and I can’t.”

Denney’s friends and family have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs.

Washington State Patrol troopers blocked southbound I-5 just north of State Route 101 late Friday night while the crash was investigated.

“I am heartbroken to announce that a child has died as a result, and another is in serious condition,” said Trooper John Dattilo.

Troopers said the driver of the jeep was intoxicated at the time of the crash and has been arrested for DUI.

Troopers at first said it was Denney who driving in the wrong direction but later corrected that the fault was with the man driving the Jeep.

The 27-year-old suspect is from Shelton and was not hurt.

Troopers arrested him and said he will face charges of vehicular homicide.

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