Bellingham woman killed in Slater Road crash with semi after reportedly running stop sign
An 81-year-old Bellingham woman was killed in Whatcom County after she reportedly ran a stop sign at Slater Road and was T-boned by a semi-tanker truck carrying gas Tuesday morning.
Margaret I. Keehn was killed in the crash when the red 2005 Chevrolet Aveo she was driving was struck while crossing Ferndale Road, according to the Washington State Patrol report on the crash.
The crash occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, Trooper Jacob Kennett told The Bellingham Herald, and it was witnessed by a Lummi Nation Police officer, who had been blocking westbound Slater Road to allow a funeral procession to turn from Ferndale Road.
After the procession had passed, Kennett said the Lummi police officer had reportedly allowed westbound traffic to resume and was following the procession.
The officer reported seeing Keehn’s Aveo headed southbound on Ferndale Road run the stop sign at Slater, Kennett reported. The Aveo reportedly was T-boned by the semi-truck driven by a 61-year-old Bellingham man, which had resumed westbound on Slater after the funeral procession had passed.
“The semi driver had the right of way, and he tried his best to stop,” Kennett told The Herald. “But semis just can’t stop that fast.”
Kennett said the tanker was carrying fuel, but none spilled as a result of the crash.
Keehn was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the report, which also reported drugs or alcohol are not believed to have been involved.
Slater and Ferndale roads were closed in the area while the State Patrol investigated, Kennett told The Herald.
The fatal crash is already the third of the year on Whatcom County roadways, after two occurred Jan. 5. There were 14 fatal crashes resulting in 17 deaths in 2021, according to the WSDOT Crash Data Portal.
