SEATAC, Wash. — Authorities are calling for witnesses to come forward after a major crash on northbound Interstate 5 near South 200 Street killed one person and injured several others Thursday.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) arrested 23-year-old Kevin J. Galvan Chavez on Thursday night after a collision involving at least seven vehicles, including a black Lexus and a white Infiniti sedan, at about 9:30 p.m.
Both the Lexus and Infiniti were seen speeding with their headlights off before the crash, and the Infiniti driver left the scene, according to investigators.
Troopers arrived to find several damaged vehicles blocking the roadway, with the black Lexus in a ditch near the entrance to northbound I-5. Trooper Asher Gregory said he spoke with Galvan Chavez, who was standing outside the Lexus and identified himself as the driver.
Galvan Chavez told troopers, through a translator, that another vehicle struck him from the front, causing him to swerve and hit two other cars. He said he was coming from Tacoma and heading home after dropping off his son.
Troopers conducted a field sobriety test, which showed no evidence of impairment, and a voluntary breath test recorded a result of 0.000.
Galvan Chavez claimed he had not consumed alcohol and that he was traveling at 69 mph.
Troopers noted the extensive damage to the Lexus and witness reports of the car traveling at a high speed with no lights on prior to the crash, and arrested Galvan Chavez at 10 p.m. for reckless driving.
According to the investigation, dashcam video provided by a witness showed the black Lexus and a white passenger car racing nearly one mile south of the crash scene.
Detective Sergeev watched the footage and estimated the vehicles’ speed at least 100 mph in a 60 mph zone.
The witness did not see the crash but drove through the aftermath, which showed the Sienna pointed the wrong way in the HOV lane, two cars on the right shoulder, and the Lexus in the ditch.
Damage to the Lexus, including the “Toyota” imprint on its hood, indicated that it struck the rear of a Toyota Sienna.
Firefighters found people trapped inside the Sienna and pronounced one passenger dead at 10:16 p.m.
Galvan Chavez agreed to speak with detectives later at the South Seattle office. He confirmed he was the sole occupant of the Lexus, said he dropped off his son in Tacoma and was driving home to Burien.
He told detectives he first collided with a Subaru, that a white Infiniti passed him just before the crash, and that his airbags deployed after he hit the first car before hitting two more cars.
He also said he was driving about 70 mph.
The crash investigation found that the Sienna was struck by at least two more vehicles after the Lexus hit it. The driver of the Infiniti has not been located.
WSP detectives are asking that anyone who witnessed the reckless driving or collision, or who has dashcam video, contact Detective Bergeron at [email protected].
The collision blocked the HOV lane and two left lanes, causing traffic backups for more than a mile before all lanes reopened Friday morning.
Source: komonews.com
