TACOMA, Wash. — An 18-year-old high school junior died after her SUV struck a guardrail on the L Street overpass and fell onto Interstate 5 southbound lanes on Friday.
The victim was identified by officials on Saturday as 18-year-old Heidy Jazmine Morales, a junior at Federal Way’s Decatur High School.
Teachers remember her as a “delightful” student -- who loved art class and worked on the yearbook staff, according to a district spokesperson.
Extra counselors will be at the school Monday to help students talk about their grief.
In the crash Friday, no other cars were hit.
Authorities advised drivers to take alternate routes after the crash onto the southbound lanes in Tacoma Friday afternoon, but the highway was still backed up to Federal Way during the evening commute.
Click here to see Chopper 7 images from the crash.
The crash happened before 4 p.m. on Friday.
At about 4:40 p.m., WSDOT officials said the backup was about 12 miles.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the driver to leave the road.
Shon Sullivan was traveling along southbound I-5 when he saw debris flying off the overpass. He swerved in time to avoid being hit by the falling truck.
“It was quite startling,” Sullivan said. “[The road] was wide open, and I was about to move right into that lane.”
Sullivan has a dash camera that recorded video of the falling debris.
Another video sent to KIRO 7 shows concerned drivers stopping to do what they can for the person in the truck.
About a dozen people can be seen flipping the truck over to try and get the person out.
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