This Lacey intersection had a bad day: 3 wrecks, one of which knocked out the traffic signal

A vehicle crash Saturday at Pacific Avenue and College Street in Lacey has knocked out the traffic signal.

The city of Lacey announced Saturday night on its Facebook page that following the crash the “traffic controller was completely damaged and inoperable.

“The intersection will be dark for a few hours and then on flashing mode,” the post reads. “It will remain in flashing mode for a few days until the new controller is available to install. Avoid this intersection, if possible.”

That crash, which happened about 7:50 p.m., was one of three there Saturday.

A Thurston County dispatcher also said there were crashes at that intersection at 1:42 p.m. and 11:02 p.m.

Details about each crash were not immediately available, although Lacey police Sgt. Terence Brimmer said Sunday the crash about 7:50 p.m. Saturday involved two vehicles, including a white SUV.

Officer Dave Johansen said a four-door sedan was northbound on College Street when it reportedly ran the red light at Pacific Avenue. The white SUV had a green light and struck the sedan, which caused it to veer to the northwest corner of the intersection and hit the traffic controller. One woman in the sedan was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital with hip and leg pain, Johansen said.

Brimmer added that the damage to the traffic controller was so severe that the earliest it can be repaired is Monday.

Details on the other Saturday crashes:

▪ At 1:42 p.m., a vehicle was westbound on Pacific Avenue, approaching College Street, when the driver made a sudden right turn into a parking lot and hit a junction box, Johansen said. He described the driver as “inexperienced.”

▪ At 11:02 p.m., a vehicle was southbound on College Street when it stopped to observe the flashing red light at Pacific Avenue. Another vehicle rear-ended the vehicle that had stopped, then drove off, Johansen said. No one was injured in the hit-and-run crash, he said. However, police did not get a good description of the vehicle that left the scene.

Lacey Fire District 3 on Sunday reminded motorists that a flashing red light means that all lanes in all directions must stop.

This story was originally published November 5, 2017 at 9:39 AM with the headline "This Lacey intersection had a bad day: 3 wrecks, one of which knocked out the traffic signal."