Traffic snarled after fatal wrong-way crash on SR 520 in Redmond
Feb 18, 2019, 5:42 AM | Updated: 8:50 am
(KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
One person was killed in a wrong-way crash on westbound SR 520 in Redmond early Monday morning, initially cutting off traffic as emergency crews responded to the scene.
“Only one lane is getting by on westbound SR 520 near West Lake Sammamish Parkway,” said KIRO Radio Traffic Reporter Chris Sullivan said early Monday morning. “It’s a good thing it’s President’s Day, because the backup in minor as there are far fewer cars on the road for the holiday … there are less volumes out there, so you can get through it OK.”
The highway was fully opened around 8 a.m. Monday.
we are all clear now on WB 520 at west lake sam – all lanes are back open
— TracyTaylorTraffic (@TracyTTraffic) February 18, 2019
Washington State Patrol reports that a driver was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes at about 4 a.m. Monday. That vehicle struck a United State Postal Service truck just west of West Lake Sammamish Parkway.
The wrong-way driver was killed. The driver of the mail truck was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“He was up walking around, I think the trooper said he was hobbling a little bit, but there’s no major injuries,” said Washington State Trooper Rick Johnson. “He was transported to Overlake Hospital to get treatment.”
Trooper Johnson says the investigation will attempt to determine if impairment was a factor, but the exact cause of the wrong-way incident is unknown.
“The troopers are telling us that this is not weather related and it is under investigation for DUI …” said KIRO 7 Traffic Reporter Tracy Taylor.
Access to Westbound SR520 is closed at Avondale/Redmond Way/WestLake Sammamish Pkwy while WSP investigates a collision. Please use alternate routes.
— RedmondWaPD (@RedmondWaPD) February 18, 2019
REDMOND: @TracyTTraffic will be live at 5am with latest on deadly crash investigation which has closed WB SR 520 at W Lake Sammamish Pkwy. One of several alternates you can use to avoid is SR 202 to NE 14th Way to I-405 @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/Df2GkDfThM
— Rachel Calderon (@rachelkiro7) February 18, 2019
KIRO 7 and MyNorthwest contributed to this report.
