Trooper hurt in I-5 crash near Arlington

NEAR ARLINGTON, Wash. -- A state trooper was injured in a crash on Interstate 5 near Arlington around 11 a.m. Friday.

Trooper Keith Leary said the trooper pulled over on the left shoulder of the northbound lanes near milepost 204 when he was hit.

An SUV crossed over three lanes of traffic and side-swiped the patrol car, jamming it into the cable barrier.

Because of the tricky positioning of the patrol car, the trooper had to be aided out of the vehicle. Trooper Mack D. Hyatt, 58, was taken to a nearby hospital with neck and back pain. He has since been treated and released.

The driver who struck the trooper was to be booked into the Snohomish County Jail under investigation of vehicular assault and driving under the influence. Troopers said the man agreed to a blood draw, but it may be weeks before lab results return.

The man had his wife and two kids in the car at the time, investigators said.

Several northbound lanes of I-5 were shut down intermittently for several hours early Friday afternoon for investigation.

Troopers are urging any witnesses to the collision to call Det. Craig Cardinal at 360-658-2588.