Distracted driving cause of crash on I-5 in Seattle
May 5, 2015, 8:24 AM | Updated: 4:21 pm
Distracted driving has been determined to be the cause of the Tuesday morning, 3-car crash on northbound I-5 that caused a 9-mile back up. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
Distracted driving is the cause of Tuesday morning’s four-car collision on northbound I-5, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The crash backed up traffic for nine miles.
“The subject had dropped his cell phone on the floor, went down to pick it up,” Webb said. “By the time he picked it up and looked up again, the traffic had stopped and he rear ended a car.”
The crash site, located at Olive Street near the Washington State Convention Center, was pushed to the side of the road.
Troopers shut down I-5 near Pine Street for about an hour.
WSDOT worked to reverse the I-5 Express Lanes to relieve some of the northbound congestion.
A truck involved in the collision was initially on fire, but fire crews knocked it down. Trooper Webb said the semi-truck photographed near the scene was not involved.
He said there are minor injuries.
