1 killed, 2 injured in head-on crash near Snohomish
SNOHOMISH, Wash. - One person has died after a stolen car crashed head-on into a pickup Thursday morning near Snohomish, the Washington State Patrol reported. Two others were injured.
State troopers responded to the scene, near the intersection of Highway 2 and 88th Street SE, at about 6 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about a serious crash.
Arriving at the scene, officers found a black 1995 Honda Accord and a blue 1992 Ford F-150 pickup that had been involved in a head-on collision. Both vehicles were damaged beyond repair.
A preliminary investigation found that the Honda was heading west on Hwy. 2 when it veered across the highway's center line and slammed head-on into the pickup, which was approaching from the opposite direction
The driver of the Honda was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he later died. Troopers are still trying to identify the man.
An investigation later determined that the Honda was stolen. Troopers took a theft report about the car early Thursday afternoon, and the owner said the vehicle had been last seen at a residence off Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County around 7 p.m. Wednesday.
In addition, a shaved key or shank was found in the car's ignition and the vehicle's tags were expired.
The two occupants of the pickup, a 45-year-old father and 16-year-old son, were injured and taken to a local hospital. The father was later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries. The son reportedly has a broken arm.
The accident blocked both lanes of Highway 2 for about three hours, reopening at about 9 a.m.
State troopers responded to the scene, near the intersection of Highway 2 and 88th Street SE, at about 6 a.m. after receiving 911 calls about a serious crash.
Arriving at the scene, officers found a black 1995 Honda Accord and a blue 1992 Ford F-150 pickup that had been involved in a head-on collision. Both vehicles were damaged beyond repair.
A preliminary investigation found that the Honda was heading west on Hwy. 2 when it veered across the highway's center line and slammed head-on into the pickup, which was approaching from the opposite direction
The driver of the Honda was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he later died. Troopers are still trying to identify the man.
An investigation later determined that the Honda was stolen. Troopers took a theft report about the car early Thursday afternoon, and the owner said the vehicle had been last seen at a residence off Paradise Lake Road in Snohomish County around 7 p.m. Wednesday.
In addition, a shaved key or shank was found in the car's ignition and the vehicle's tags were expired.
The two occupants of the pickup, a 45-year-old father and 16-year-old son, were injured and taken to a local hospital. The father was later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries. The son reportedly has a broken arm.
The accident blocked both lanes of Highway 2 for about three hours, reopening at about 9 a.m.
Our prayers are with the family of the pickup driver. He is also a co-worker/friend of my husband and we hope he recovers quickly!
Hope it was worth it...
We hope for a speedy recovery for the father in the pickup, he is one of my husbands co-workers and a great guy.
Feel sorry for the occupants of the pick up truck and their families. Â Hope they recover quickly. Â
If this was a stolen car, then I have no sympathy for the deceased driver of the car. Â They got what they deserved.Â
My Husbands Nephew and great Nephew were the occupants of the truck. I also suspect that the screwdiver in the ignition means the car was also stolen. Which I'm certain this means no insurance either. My husbands Nephew has now been transported to Harborview. His son received a broken arm. My husband already lost his first wife on Highway 2 about 15 years ago. Please pray for this family.
Very sad. And for your husband (his uncle) having lost his wife on the same highway.Â
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 I hope this young man survives to live a healthy life.
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 @Debbie F My prayers go out to your family.
 @Debbie F Positive thoughts from Mr. Vishess.
Is it my imagination that we are seeing more head on crashes lately? These roads we've been driving for a very long time. I wonder if this is another DUI or Texting fatality. Those two things seem to be on the rise.
The Highway of Death takes another soul.
I think the 'screwdriver in the ignition' might be a clue as to why the vehicle owner description doesn't match with the driver!Â
You know what sometimes I am very happy that I have a big truck with great accident ratings.. Just not at the gas station. In the big picture of life I will gladly pay for the gas. RIP
Komo! You might want to remove photo #1 in your slide show that shows a large red splotch just outside the Honda's driver-side door. Right where someone might be ejected in a crash that wasn't wearing a seat-belt. Not sure what a large red splotch indicates in a high-speed crash but I am guessing it ain't Cherry Slurpee.
 @Sid Vishess Could be transmission fluid
 @DarkParty Maybe...but coincidentally, in picture four it has  First Responders hovering directly over it which would indicate that is where he was ejected. If he wasn't ejected  there, I am sure that the FR's would not move him directly over a transmission spill.
 @Sid Vishess With the limited info komo gives above it is easy to do.
 @DarkParty Thanks. I am wrong as usual...
 @Sid Vishess *wasn't
 @Sid Vishess The pictures on the herald's website show they used the jaws of life on the car. So it was an ejection.
A criminal stold a truck, removed the plates, and then used the truck to injure two innocent people. This is not a "tragedy," it's a crime. I'm only happy that in this case the victims lived.
@T.M. The Honda appeared to be stolen, not the pickup truck, & the tags were expired, not the plates removed. And it most certainly appears to be a crime, however at this stage, the alleged criminal won't be facing any charges in this area.
 @katiemcc "... in this arena" Ha ha, excellent point!Â
Troopers are still trying to identify the man, who does not match the description of the vehicle's registered owner. In addition, a screwdriver was found in the car's ignition and the vehicle's tags were expired.                                   suggest's stolen car. If so a heck of thing to die for.
A screwdriver in the ignition. Not standard issue for a Honda as far as I know. Expired tabs - see those all the time, apparently LEOs don't.
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I hope the pick up occupants recover ok.
I wonder if the Honda driver was complying with the seatbelt laws, speed laws, and substance abuse laws with the same rigor that he was complying with the vehicle theft law.
My sympathy to the one person who passed. And may the others make a full recovery. I hope it didn't involve text messaging. So preventable. Sounds like they may have stolen the car in the black Honda, the one who crossed the line. Sad story all the way around.
This happens way too often on this stretch of highway.
@Hachee_Bungwhy The state needs to stop being lazy and put up the money to make hwy 2 a four lane highway which will prevent lots of accidents and save a lot of lives...
 @Hachee_Bungwhy Last time I drove down US 2 a few months ago I saw the electronic sign that shows how many days it has been without an accident there. It was 27 days last time and I've never seen it get above 40 days previous trips.
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And in the winter, forget driving that road. Somebody hits a patch of ice should hope they don't end up in the oncoming lane since there's really no room for error let alone passing.
 @MacGyver!  @Hachee_Bungwhy The headlights of oncoming cars at night in the rain always makes for an interesting situation.  It is not one of the most fun drives to make after hitting the slopes all day.  I90 is incredible in contrast, but the skiing is meh with the notable exception of Alpental.Â
 @Hachee_Bungwhy Probably should put in some jersey barriers in the middle to prevent this kind of thing?
 @BluefireJaguar @Hachee_Bungwhy Drivers should learn to pay attention to their driving and stay on the right side of the road. It is really not that hard. Sadly, for some, even this is much too difficult a task.
@Vertically Inclined @Rider @BluefireJaguar @Hachee_Bungwhy But you will hasve to widen the highway for that... so your better off to widen it even more and make it 4 lanes with a barrier..
 @Rider  @BluefireJaguar  @Hachee_Bungwhy While most certainly true, Jersey barriers are still a great idea on hwy 2.  Â
Very sad.