One dead, one in critical condition after head-on collision on Interstate 5 near Slater
One person is dead and another is in critical condition Wednesday evening after a head-on collision on northbound Interstate 5 just north of Slater Road in Whatcom County, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Heather Axtman.
State Patrol received several calls shortly after 8:20 p.m. on July 1 about a wrong-way driver going southbound in the northbound lanes of I-5 in a silver Lexus, Axtman said in an interview with The Bellingham Herald.
Around 8:25 p.m., State Patrol began receiving calls about a head-on collision, she said. The Lexus hit a Toyota Camry, which was driving northbound on I-5 north, Axtman said.
The Lexus drove about a mile and a half before hitting the Camry, Axtman said. Drugs or alcohol were involved, Axtman said.
The male passenger of the Lexus is dead, Axtman said. The male driver of the Lexus is unconscious and in critical condition, she said. No other people were in the car, she said.
The male driver of the Lexus, who was still at the hospital as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, has been arrested on suspicion of DUI - vehicular homicide, Axtman said.
The female driver and sole occupant of the Camry was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but appeared to have suffered no injuries, Axtman said.
No identifying information about any of the people involved was immediately available, pending next of kin notification for the passenger of the Lexus, she said.
Axtman said northbound I-5 is fully blocked, and I-5 southbound is partially blocked due to the responding agencies. Axtman said State Patrol, Washington State Department of Transportation, Bellingham police, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and fire and aid are all on scene.
Axtman said she did not have an estimate for when the roadway will reopen. State Patrol is not aware of any other collisions happening prior to the head-on, she said.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:29 PM.
