Thurston Coroner identifies semi-truck driver who died in I-5 wreck on Monday
A 61-year-old semi-truck driver who died in a wreck on Interstate 5 on Monday has been identified.
Michael Erickson, a Seattle resident, died from “multiple blunt force injuries,” said Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock. The wreck occurred at 7:38 a.m. Mondayand caused heavy traffic near Tumwater for many hours, The Olympian previously reported.
Erickson’s semi-truck left the freeway on southbound I-5 near milepost 97 and 113th Avenue Southwest, striking a guardrail on the right shoulder before colliding with an overpass bridge column, according to a Washington State Patrol memo.
The collision damaged a fuel tank, causing diesel to leak onto the overpass, Trooper Robert Reyer shared on Twitter.
Washington State Patrol closed all southbound traffic lanes on the freeway for over two hours, creating a miles-long backup. One lane was reopened at about 10 a.m., but the freeway remained at least partially blocked for about 13 hours.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, according to the memo. Washington State Patrol did not immediately respond to a request for an update.
