Death in the mountains: Driver allegedly going too fast hits a man trying to chain up
Dec 27, 2024, 6:50 AM | Updated: 5:30 pm
Snoqualmie Pass on Friday morning. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
We’re learning new details about a tragic death near Snoqualmie Pass.
Troopers told KIRO 7 TV someone was driving too fast when they hit and killed a 35-year-old man trying to chain up on I-90 near Easton.
This happened on Christmas night between Snoqualmie Pass and Cle Elum. Troopers said charges are pending for the driver.
Currently, conditions on the mountain passes Friday morning are sketchy at best.
Making matters worse, snow is expected to continue through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service – Seattle.
❄️Wondering how much snow fell in the mountains over the last 24 hours? Wonder no more! Here’s a collections of estimated snowfall amounts ending at 10 AM this morning:
Hurricane Ridge : 7″
Mt. Baker: 20″
Stevens Pass: 12″
Snoqualmie Pass: 15″
Mt. Rainier – Paradise: 25″#wawx pic.twitter.com/thJHs0VCnM— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) December 26, 2024
Snoqualmie Pass got 20 inches of snow over the past 24 hours, Stevens Pass got 12 inches, and White Pass got 18.
Interstate 90 (I-90) near Snoqualmie Pass is open but messy after being closed due to winter conditions and crashes, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
MyNorthwest Weather: Landslide temporarily shuts down road to Pierce County park
Chains are required on all vehicles except all-wheel drive. Oversized vehicles are prohibited.
On Thursday, I-90 was closed for a time after several collisions and spinouts.
This is what #SnoqualmiePass looked like just a bit ago. Please please drive for conditions and chain up if required! pic.twitter.com/UfjGytyfYr
— Trooper Rick Johnson (@wspd2pio) December 26, 2024
Conditions at Snoqualmie Pass include compact snow and ice. It’s takin about an hour-and-a-half to get from North Bend to Ellensburg and vice versa.
At Stevens Pass there are similar conditions, bad for driving, but good for skiing.
🚨 Terrain Alert 🚨
We’re excited to announce that Southern Cross and Double Diamond will open tomorrow, and we anticipate opening the hiking routes. That means as of tomorrow, we expect to have 100% of our terrain open! pic.twitter.com/374xuQSR1M
— Stevens Pass (@StevensPass) December 24, 2024
White Pass US 12 remains open.
Contributing: KIRO 7; Katrina Guishard, KIRO Newsradio
Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.
