Thurston Co. victim airlifted with life-threatening injuries after head-on wreck
A Yelm man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Thursday after a head-on collision that sent one person to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
According to a social media post from Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and jail logs, a 38-year-old Yelm man was arrested just before 10 p.m. on April 23 after TCSO, medics and firefighters responded to reports of a multi-vehicle collision with entrapment near Rainier Road and Fir Tree Road. One vehicle had also caught fire.
“Upon arrival, TCSO discovered a head-on collision with serious intrusion,” Sanders said. “The driver of the causing vehicle attempted to flee down the road on foot and made comments to witnesses directly after the crash that it ‘wasn’t his fault.’”
The man was contacted by deputies and detained, Sanders said.
Sanders said the victim was trapped in their car with substantial life-threatening injuries. He said it took the fire department more than 51 minutes to cut the victim out of the car. The rescue involved removing the entire roof of the car with the jaws of life.
“Through nothing short of stellar work and heroism from our firefighters, the victim was stabilized in the car for nearly an hour while each piece of the car was cut away,” Sanders said.
He said a witness on the scene said they were driving down the road when the suspect car drove at them the wrong way. The witness swerved out of the way, and the suspect allegedly hit the car behind them head on.
Sanders said the victim was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from East Olympia Elementary School’s front lawn.
Sanders said the suspect had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. He said a deputy cadet sat with the suspect at the hospital for medical clearance, and then he was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI and vehicular assault. A search warrant was obtained to seize the suspect’s blood for lab testing.
Sanders said TCSO was assisted by East Olympia Fire, South Thurston Fire, Lacey Fire, Thurston County Medic One, Tumwater Fire, and Airlift Northwest.
“Our thoughts are with the family and the victim tonight who are on a long path to recovery,” Sanders said. “I cannot commend our medics, firefighters and air lift team enough.”
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