(no subject)

[vespachica]

From the Seattle PI:

Last updated October 30, 2008 8:23 p.m. PT
Two dead, four injured in Interstate 5 crash

By CASEY MCNERTHNEY
P-I REPORTER

FEDERAL WAY -- A man and a woman were killed and another driver was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition after a driver on Interstate 5 crossed the median into oncoming traffic and caused a five-car crash.

The driver, who was arrested for vehicular homicide, also was hospitalized in serious condition and two others suffered minor injuries.

"The trooper who went to the hospital said [the driver] had some type of substance in his system," State Patrol trooper Curt Boyle said.

The crash turned southbound I-5 into a parking lot during the last part of Thursday's evening commute. Only the southbound HOV lane was open at 6:45 p.m., and the backup eventually reached Seattle. The backup was expected to last well into Thursday night.

The man who troopers say caused the crash was driving a Chrysler 300 northbound near South 288th Street when he crossed the median.

The other patient in serious condition was in one of the cars that had a fatality, Boyle said.

The driver's identification and additional information about the deceased were not immediately available.

Of the state's 346 wrong-way crashes in the past six years, there were 42 fatalities at the crash scene.

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Fucker. So, not only will the driver not get very much time (relative to the lives taken), there are two people dead, countless lives messed up, and (at least) four unhappy people who were not able to see David Sedaris this evening.

I know my woes are trivial in this and, believe me, I am very cognizant of that fact. The remnants of the car accident as we drove past were the worst I had ever seen.

There was this chilling account from komonews.com:

Ron Gascoyne, who was driving south on I-5 at the time, said the wrong-way driver came very close to hitting him, but hit the car behind him instead.

Gascoyne, a married father of four, said he can't believe he was not hit since he saw the car coming right at him.

"I swerved a little bit to the right, just missed me and hit the car (behind me) head on," he said. "I looked in my rearview mirror and the explosion -- it was unbelievable."



Can you believe this? I cannot imagine what is going through that guy's head tonight. I am willing to bet he held his family a lot closer, though. I know I am.

Comments

[cerabellum.livejournal.com]

I can't even imagine. It makes the caterwauling about what I gave Simon for dinner so ... I dunno, beautiful? At least I get to hear his voice. I always have perspective tossed in my face right when I need it. I feel sad for these families.

[animimi.livejournal.com]

I know, right? I feel guilty for being annoyed we missed Sedaris.

[thetar.livejournal.com]

i like to use the death penalty for this kind of thing. i know ti doesnt bring anyone back but it gets rid of the issue and hopefully says hey everyone we wont tolerate this.

[cmariewt.livejournal.com]

JESUS!! What a shitbag. I just cannot get my head around shit like that. He needs to be put away forever.

[bonny-katie.livejournal.com]

This kind of stuff just disgusts and enrages me. So now people are dead because some asshole wanted to get fucked up and drive. There used to be a teller at my bank who was hit by a drunk driver when she was 6 months pregnant. Thank God the baby managed to survive but she was in the NICU for months and had all sorts of problems. Then last year some idiot was too busy looking at pictures she had had developed to pay attention to the road and hit a girl who was 7.5 months pregnant and her baby died.

[moonshineray.livejournal.com]

That is just horrible beyond words.