Woman faces criminal investigation after 3 people die in northbound I-5 wreck Saturday
Three people died at the scene of a wreck Saturday when a car crashed into two vehicles parked on the right shoulder of Interstate 5 near Castle Rock in Cowlitz County, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Troopers believe the 43-year-old Longview woman who caused the wreck was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the State Patrol. WSP says she is under investigation for three vehicular manslaughter charges.
About 7:50 a.m. Saturday, the Longview woman was headed north on I-5 in a 2011 BMW. At that time, a tow-truck driver was standing between his truck and the 2013 Kia Sorrento he was assisting, according to the State Patrol.
Troopers say the woman drove off the road, crashing into the Sorrento, which then pushed into the tow-truck driver and his truck.
The tow-truck driver, a 63-year-old man from Longview, died as did two of the three people in the Kia, a man and woman in their 50s from Battle Ground. The third person, a 25-year-old man also from Battle Ground, was injured and taken to an area hospital.
The Longview woman also was injured and taken to the hospital.
The incident remains under investigation. The identities of those killed weren’t immediately released.
This story was originally published April 25, 2021 at 12:06 PM.
