All I-5 lanes clear after fatal car crash involving pedestrian shuts down highway for hours

A fatal car crash involving a pedestrian forced all but one lane of southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) to close near State Route 526 in Everett for several hours before re-opening just before 9 a.m.

The person was hit near the Boeing Freeway early Thursday morning. Only the HOV lane is open during the investigation, as of this reporting.

Cleared: I-5 South sees delays after semi-truck driver loses control

UPDATE: On SB I-5 at SR 526 there is a collision blocking the three right lanes in #Everett.

Traffic is being diverted into the HOV Lane. There is no ETA for reopening, use alternate routes and expect delays. https://t.co/N8B8yMyrfP pic.twitter.com/qU8m6784x1

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) August 8, 2024

Washington State Patrol Trooper Kelsey Harding shared some details with KIRO Newsradio Traffic Reporter Chris Sullivan about what happened on the highway.

“I don’t normally share this kind of information, but I think it adds some perspective and maybe some thought to cool your jets if you’re stuck in this hour-long backup on Southbound I-5,” Sullivan said on Seattle’s Morning News. “Somebody lost their life in a car versus pedestrian crash on Southbound I-5 at SR 526. It looks like the person jumped from an overpass and then was hit by cars below on I-5. Brutal and something we don’t normally talk about, but I think it will help give you guys perspective who are stuck in this.”

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Now reopened, the highway at one point had a backup currently seven miles long, stretching to SR 529 in Marysville.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.