A 17-year-old Maple Valley boy died early Tuesday morning, Aug. 13 after reportedly fleeing police and crashing his car near the Enumclaw/Black Diamond bridge.
Nicolaas Siebe De Vogel died of multiple blunt force injuries, according to an Aug. 14 report by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
According to the Black Diamond Police Department, De Vogel was driving south on State Route 169 at about 80 mph around 7:08 a.m. The posted speed is 35 mph.
A traffic officer caught up with the vehicle because the driver had to slow down due to traffic. However, the vehicle would not pull over for a traffic stop, and it picked up speed again at Green Valley Road to pass cars “in a reckless manner.” The officer decided to not pursue.
According to Trooper Rick Johnson and a Washington State Patrol report, a short time later, the teen hit a “soft shoulder” on the highway, about a half mile south of Green Valley Road, lost control, and hit a ditch. The driver was ejected from the car, a 2006 Ford Mustang.
De Vogel was pronounced dead on the scene when first responders arrived.
The road was closed for about four hours.
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