A 23-year-old Federal Way man was arrested for DUI and vehicular homicide after a three-car crash along State Route 18 in Auburn killed one person and injured two others on Sunday night.
Just before 9 p.m. May 22, the Federal Way man was driving the wrong direction on eastbound State Route 18 when he hit another vehicle head-on, according to the Washington State Patrol (WSP). The driver of the struck vehicle, a 44-year-old man from Federal Way, died at the scene.
The 44-year-old — identified as Joel C. Villa Sanchez — was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision, the Washington State Patrol said.
After the first collision, Villasanchez’s car came to a rest on the right side of State Route 18 and the 23-year-old continued driving in the wrong direction, according to the Washington State Patrol. He then struck another car before coming to a rest in the left lane.
Both the driver and passenger of the second car were both wearing seatbelts and transported to the Auburn Regional Medical Center for their injuries.
According to WSP, the fatal collision was caused by driving the wrong way and drugs or alcohol were also involved.
The 23-year-old was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for his injuries and arrested for DUI and vehicular homicide, according to state patrol.
Family members of Villa Sanchez have created a GoFundMe to raise money for his funeral costs, his burial, and to take his body to Mexico as he wanted, the page states. A family member said Villa Sanchez was on his way home from church on Sunday night when his car was struck.
The family member described him as a “hard-working man who loved his family more than anything.” Villa Sanchez leaves behind his wife, three daughters, and a son.
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