SEATTLE – The Washington State Patrol said that "road rage" and impaired driving were factors in a fatal three-car crash on Interstate 5 on Wednesday night.
One woman was killed and three people were taken to the hospital in the incident in south Seattle. The collision happened at 10:36 p.m. in the southbound lanes at Michigan Street.
The drivers of the SUV and Dodge Neon were involved in a conflict on the road around 10:15 p.m., according to WSP.
The incident started when the blue Dodge Neon and black Chevrolet HHR were merging onto I-5 southbound from Interstate 90. The Chevy flashed its lights at the slow-moving Neon, according to troopers.
Once on I-5, the Chevrolet HHR passed the Dodge Neon and started doing brake checks and other "road rage" behaviors. Trooper believe the drivers were antagonizing each other for three miles.
The collision occurred when the Chevrolet hit its brakes very suddenly. The Dodge then slammed into the back of it. A third car, an Infinity G35, which had nothing to do with the road rage, then struck the HHR.
Andrea Dickey, 23, of Centralia was a passenger in the Neon. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The drivers of the Dodge and Chevrolet, and a passenger in the Chevrolet were taken to Harborview Medical Center. One had to be extricated and was listed in critical condition.
The driver of the Inifinti was not injured.
The drivers of a black Chevrolet SUV and a blue Dodge Neon were arrested for vehicular homicide, according to Trooper Chris Webb, and a warrant for blood samples was obtained for both drivers.
The WSP is asking that anyone that may have seen anything related to this incident to contact Detective Russ Haake at russ.haake@wsp.wa.gov or 425-682-8182.
I-5 was blocked at the scene for nearly five hours.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
