Seattle police are pursuing a man who appears to have been responsible for two fatalities in a three-car accident on I-5 on Feb. 26, 2023. Based on information released by the Seattle police department, the man may have both civil and criminal liability for his actions.
The accident
The accident scenario began when a southbound vehicle on I-5 rear-ended another car just after 3 a.m. on Sunday morning. Both vehicles stopped in the left lane of the southbound interstate. The driver of the first vehicle was standing in the roadway, inspecting the damage to his vehicle when a third vehicle rear-ended the second vehicle and pushed it into the driver of the first vehicle. Two men who were riding in this car fled the scene on foot.
The driver of the first vehicle is currently hospitalized in serious condition. Two men who were riding in the second vehicle died at the scene. The King County Medical Examiner said the two men died from multiple blunt force injuries.
The accident closed three southbound lanes of I-5 for several hours as workers cleared the scene. The southbound lanes on I-5 were finally declared reopened just after 8:30 a.m.
As of the date of this blog, the two men who were in the third vehicle have not been arrested.
The aftermath
The two men who fled the scene appear to be guilty of vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident that involved fatalities. Seattle police did not provide any information that might support an allegation that the driver was intoxicated.
The families of the two men who died at the scene have viable claims for wrongful death against the driver of the third vehicle. The driver of the first vehicle has viable claims against the driver of the third vehicle for his medical expenses, lost past and future income, and any permanent disability. Any final conclusions about liability will await the completion of the police department’s investigation—and perhaps the arrest of either of the men who fled the scene.
Sound legal support
Anyone who has suffered serious injuries under similar circumstances may wish to consult an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney for an evaluation of the evidence and an opinion on the likelihood of recovering damages.