Seattle man, 27, dies in Interstate 5 single-vehicle crash in Kent

Published 11:16 am Tuesday, April 12, 2022

A 27-year-old Seattle man was killed when his vehicle went out of control along northbound Interstate 5 in Kent, rolled over and struck a tree.

Romel J. Fiesterman died at the scene, according to the Washington State Patrol. The single-vehicle crash occurred at about 9:50 a.m. Saturday, April 9 just north of the Kent Des Moines exit for State Route 516.

Fiesterman reportedly tried to make a lane change when a vehicle in the adjacent lane honked their horn to notify Fiesterman not to encroach, according to the State Patrol. Fiesterman swerved back over, lost control and the vehicle rolled over.

He was ejected when his vehicle, a 1997 black Ford Expedition, struck a tree off the to the right side of the freeway. The vehicle and driver came to a rest about 15 feet off the freeway. He was not wearing a seat belt. He was alone in the vehicle.

An unsafe lane change caused the crash, according to the State Patrol. It is unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved.