A head-on collision critically injured one man and closed northbound State Route 167 near South 277th Street in Kent at about 3:08 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15. COURTESY PHOTO, WSDOT

A head-on collision critically injured one man and closed northbound State Route 167 near South 277th Street in Kent at about 3:08 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15. COURTESY PHOTO, WSDOT

Fiery head-on crash in Kent along State Route 167 critically injures man

State Patrol arrests Tacoma man for investigation of vehicular assault after Sunday, Jan. 12 collision

The Washington State Patrol arrested a 22-year-old Tacoma man for investigation of vehicular assault after a fiery head-on collision early Sunday, Jan. 12 along State Route 167 in Kent near South 277th Street.

The collision critically injured one driver.

The wrong-way driver was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of SR 167 at about 3:08 a.m. approaching South 277th Street in the HOV lane, according to the State Patrol. A second vehicle was northbound on SR 167 approaching South 277th in the HOV lane. A third vehicle was northbound approaching South 277th in lane two.

The Tacoma driver reportedly sideswiped the third vehicle and then collided head on with the second vehicle, according to the State Patrol. Both vehicles in the head-on crash caught fire and came to rest blocking the HOV lane and lane two. The roadway was blocked for about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Paramedics transported the driver of the second vehicle, a 33-year-old Puyallup man, to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. As of noon Jan. 13, the man remained in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesperson.

The driver of the third vehicle was not injured. There were no passengers in any of the three vehicles.

Paramedics transported the Tacoma man to Harborview, according to the State Patrol. A hospital spokesperson said they did not see any record that the man was admitted. Drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash, according to the State Patrol.




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