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Wrong-way head-on collision on I-5 near Tumwater kills woman and child Friday night

A woman and child died in a wrong-way head-on collision Friday night on Interstate 5 near Tumwater, the Washington State Patrol reported.

The 31-year-old woman and 2-year-old boy were from Chehalis, according to a news release.

An 8-year-old girl rode in the same vehicle. First responders transported the girl to an area children’s hospital.

The group rode in a gray 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The other driver, a 27-year-old Shelton man, was in a white 2016 Jeep Wrangler.

The Jeep was headed the wrong way: northbound on I-5 in the third southbound lane, said Trooper John Dattilo. The Chevrolet was headed south on I-5 in the same lane. The vehicles collided head-on.

The Chevrolet came to rest, facing north in the third southbound lane. The Jeep came to rest on a cement barrier.

The Shelton man behind the wheel of the Jeep also appeared to be affected by drugs or alcohol, Dattilo said. The Shelton man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, vehicular homicide and vehicular assault.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, according to the news release.

This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 11:32 AM.

Angelica Relente
The News Tribune
Angelica Relente covers topics that affect communities in East Pierce County. She started as a news intern in June 2021 after graduating from Washington State University. She is also a member of Seattle’s Asian American Journalists Association. She was born in the Philippines and spent the rest of her childhood in Hawaii.
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