COVINGTON, Wash. — Five people were hospitalized and one died in a wrong-way crash on SR 18.
It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday on eastbound SR 18 at SR 516 near Covington.
PHOTOS: 5 hurt, 1 killed in wrong-way crash on SR 18
A King County sheriff’s deputy saw the driver heading west in the eastbound lanes. The deputy notified the Washington State Patrol, but the crash occurred before authorities could intervene.
A second King County deputy witnessed the crash.
All eastbound lanes of SR 18 were blocked for nearly four hours while Washington State Patrol troopers investigated.
Troopers say the driver who caused the crash, a 62-year-old man, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in critical condition with a broken neck, according to investigators. He later died from his injuries.
Authorities do not believe he was intoxicated. They say he may have had a medical issue when the crash happened.
"We do know that the vehicle has a disabled placard. We are not sure if that is something that may have had a culprit as to what led them to get on the wrong direction out here. We are looking into that," said Trooper King.
One of the victims' vehicle's was driven by a 19-year-old man who was also taken to Harborview for a broken leg.
The third vehicle involved had four people inside, a woman and her three young children, ages 6, 8, and 11.
They were transported to Auburn Medical Center but are expected to be OK.