Fundraiser launched for man injured in last week’s 7-vehicle wreck on I-5 in Tumwater
A fundraiser has been started to help a man who was injured in a multiple-vehicle crash on northbound Interstate 5 in Tumwater last week.
The man, identified only as Knut on the fundraising website Go Fund Me, is a corrections officer with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. The campaign has so far raised more than half of a $20,000 goal.
Knut suffered serious injuries in the wreck, including to his kidneys and liver, and required a blood transfusion after it, according to Go Fund Me.
“He has 6 broken ribs, multiple broken vertebrae and an injured spinal cord, the extent of which is still unknown,” the fundraising campaign reads.
The campaign organizer provided an update on Monday, saying Knut had a second abdominal surgery on Friday and that there was no more active bleeding.
“He currently is in the OR for his first of two spinal surgeries. This first one will focus on the thoracic spine. This mid-back region is the area that sustained the most damage, and is the most important issue to address now that the internal bleeding has been resolved.”
About 9:35 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, a 38-year-old Elma man was headed north on I-5 and struck a stopped vehicle in front of him, The Olympian reported.
That initial collision reportedly set off a chain-reaction that resulted in four other stopped vehicles being struck, according to The Olympian.
Debris from the collision then struck a seventh vehicle that was traveling south on I-5, just north of milepost 103.
Following the crash, the Elma man faced a charge of second-degree negligent driving.
This story was originally published October 8, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
