DUI suspected in fatal wrong-way crash on I-5 in southern Whatcom County Tuesday night
A 31-year-old woman from Bothel was killed on Interstate 5 in southern Whatcom County when the SUV she was driving was struck head-on by a wrong-way vehicle.
The Washington State Patrol reported that impairment is suspected in the fatal crash.
“Our hearts reach out to those affected by this tragic incident,” Trooper Jacob Kennett tweeted about the crash.
Stephanie L. Chinn was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at approximately 11:29 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, near the Nulle Road exit, according to the Washington State Patrol report on the crash.
A dog also was killed in the crash, Kennett told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday morning.
Chinn was driving a white 1998 Toyota Avalon southbound on I-5 when her vehicle was struck head-on by a red 2007 Lexus IS driven by 20-year-old Annastacia D. Lough of East Wenatchee, according to the report. Lough’s Lexus was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes at the time.
Shortly before the crash, the State Patrol received reports of the wrong-way Lexus just north of the Bow Hill Road exit, Kennett told The Herald.
“Reports said the Lexus had several near misses with a number of cars and was traveling at a high-rate of speed — more than 90 mph,” Kennett told The Herald.
Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time, the report stated, and no other occupants were listed in either vehicle.
Lough was transported to St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham with injuries, according to the report.
Troopers suspect drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, the report states, and the crash remains under investigation.
Though Lough was taken into custody on suspicion of vehicular homicide, Kennett told The Herald that she was unable to be booked into Whatcom County Jail due to the injuries she suffered in the crash. Troopers did have a blood draw performed, though.
Kennett said he was not certain which vehicle the dog was in, but said the Whatcom Humane Society handled the remains.
Southbound I-5 was closed for more than four hours during the investigation of the crash, and the The Washington State Department of Transportation reported back-ups of approximately two miles at 12:40 a.m.
The fatal crash was the fifth on Whatcom County roadways in 2022, according to the WSDOT Crash Data Portal, and was the third fatal or serious injury crash in the county this year involving drugs or alcohol. Last year there were 15 fatal crashes resulting in 18 deaths, and there were 14 fatal and serious injuries involving drugs or alcohol.
This story was originally published February 2, 2022 at 7:36 AM.
