Interstate 5 traffic through Bellingham closed for hours after man struck by car on freeway
Interstate 5 traffic through Bellingham resumed early Wednesday after at least one person was killed and the freeway was closed in both directions late Tuesday between Meridian Street and Northwest Avenue for what officials described as a “tragic” crash.
A 36-year-old Mount Vernon woman was driving a 2019 Subaru south on I-5 struck and struck a pedestrian, Sean M. Smet, 24, of Bellingham, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Washington State Patrol.
WSP, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Whatcom County 911 dispatch center all warned of the freeway closure late Tuesday via social media.
“Please be patient while troopers investigate this tragic collision,” WSP tweeted around 8 p.m. Tuesday.
“(WSDOT) is on scene for traffic control. Please give all workers and law enforcement space and take it slow,” Whatcom County 911 said on Facebook.
According to the emergency services app Pulse Point, an “expanded traffic collision” was reported at 6:47 p.m. at I-5 and Meridian Street.
One lane of traffic opened in each direction of the freeway around 9:15 p.m., according to WSP.
Traffic resumed in all lanes shortly after midnight.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 9:19 PM.
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