Kent man, 21, killed in head-on collision on SR 509

Published 12:05 pm Monday, April 13, 2026

A 21-year-old Kent man was killed while driving the wrong way on State Route 509 in Seattle in a head-on collision that also killed a 71-year-old Seattle man.

Jae’Don Parnell was driving northbound on southbound SR 509 at about 9:43 p.m. Sunday, April 12, just north of South 112th Street, according to the Washington State Patrol. Parnell was in lane two of three lanes when he collided with a vehicle driven by Kevin J. Ward. Both men, who were driving alone and wearing seat belts, died at the scene.

Parnell was driving a 2011 Toyota Camry and his vehicle came to rest in lane two, according to the State Patrol. Ward’s vehicle, a 2026 Hyundai Ioniq, came to rest in the ditch on the right shoulder. The roadway was blocked for 5 hours and 35 minutes.

It is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision, according to the State Patrol.