SEATAC, Wash. — Northbound Interstate 5 has reopened in SeaTac after an hours-long closure following a suspected DUI crash Thursday.
According to Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson, the driver of a Kia Sportage SUV struck a Toyota Tacoma from behind while driving at a high rate of speed. Both cars rolled, and the driver of the Toyota Tacoma was ejected from the car. That driver was injured in the face but is expected to be OK.
The driver of the SUV, who was identified as a 19-year-old man, has been arrested for vehicular assault due to suspected impairment. Johnson said that driver is also being treated for injuries at a local hospital.
The road closed just south of 188th Street at around 3 a.m. Traffic was diverted onto South 200th Street in SeaTac. The backup was around 15 miles long, stretching to Fife, when lanes reopened just before 8 a.m.
"The WSP understands the frustration that roadway closures cause for drivers," state patrol said in a statement. "The WSP will always do a thorough investigation as that is imperative for the victims and their families."
Anyone who witnessed the Kia Sportage before the crash is asked to contact Detective Ivan Sergeev at Ivan.Sergeev@wsp.wa.gov.