Commuters heading toward the coast over the weekend experienced significant delays Friday, partly due to an accident involving a truck loaded with lumber on southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) in Olympia.
The incident occurred between 9 and 10 a.m. near the Pacific Avenue exit. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) first published the incident on X under 9:35 am
Washington State Patrol (WSP) patrol officer Johannes Dattilo reported on what happened in a post on X shortly before 10:30 a.m. and reported that a flatbed truck carrying lumber had left the road and crashed into a tree.
In an interview with KIRO Newsradio on Friday, Dattilo said the truck was badly damaged and crushed against a tree. In addition, some of the lumber that fell from the truck struck a mobile home in a resident’s backyard. The person in the trailer also suffered minor injuries.
Dattilo added in his first X post that the driver was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). He suffered minor injuries in the crash.
Police officers are on site because there was a truck accident on the SB I5, north of exit 105. A flatbed truck loaded with wood left the road and crashed into a tree. The driver was arrested for drunk driving and suffered minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/1iWtc6JB6v
– Trooper John Dattilo (@wspd1pio) 9 August 2024
Dattilo told KIRO Newsradio that the suspect was arrested for drunk driving and “suspicion of drug impairment.”
“The blood test will take several months to actually show what drugs, if any, were in his system,” Dattilo said. “I don’t know what kind of drugs they suspect. All I know is that they don’t suspect alcohol.”
The impact of the truck incident on traffic
It took about 4 1/2 hours to clear the scene after the truck collision and was cleared shortly after 2:30 p.m.WSDOT reported on X. At the time, the agency said it would be “a tedious, heavily congested route to Tacoma.” Drivers were advised to delay their trips or risk being “stuck in traffic.”
Previously, WSDOT had set X under 11:51 am that the traffic jams reached up to eight miles. About 40 minutes later at 12:31 pmThe agency posted again on X that the traffic jam was up to 17 miles long.
Well, the traffic jam from that accident in Olympia at mile 107 has officially joined normal Friday afternoon traffic jams in Pierce County. We’re expecting a 17-mile-long backup and it’s getting even more extended. Bring patience if you’re using SB I-5 from Tacoma. https://t.co/HUGa1WTJfY pic.twitter.com/gpCftP6Qkd
— WSDOT Tacoma (@wsdot_tacoma) 9 August 2024
Sam Campbell is a reporter, editor and anchor at KIRO Newsradio. Read more of Sam’s stories here. Follow Sam on Xor send him an email here.
Steve Coogan is the editor-in-chief of MyNorthwest. Read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on Xor send him an email here.
