A 31-year-old Auburn man was killed early Saturday, Dec. 27 after being struck by a vehicle on SE 208th Street in Kent, according to the Kent Police Department.
This marks the third fatal pedestrian collision in the city in the last week; as we previously reported, two other fatalities occurred on Dec. 26 and Dec. 23.
Police said patrol officers and Puget Sound Fire responded at 4:43 a.m. Dec. 27 to the 11400 block of SE 208th Street (map below) after a 911 caller reported a serious injury collision involving a pedestrian and said they were attempting to start CPR.
First responders determined the man’s injuries were severe, and he was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where sadly, he was later pronounced dead.
Traffic officers were called to the scene to conduct the investigation. Based on driver and witness statements and dash camera video from one of the involved vehicles, investigators determined the sequence of events:
- Police said a 2019 semi truck driven by a 32-year-old Maple Valley man was traveling eastbound on SE 208th Street approaching 114th Avenue SE when the driver observed a pedestrian standing in the roadway. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk. The semi truck driver swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision but struck the pedestrian.
- A second vehicle, a 1992 Mazda driven by a 20-year-old Renton man, was also traveling eastbound on SE 208th Street and saw the pedestrian lying in the roadway. That driver swerved to avoid hitting the pedestrian, spun around and struck the semi truck. Police said the second vehicle did not hit the pedestrian.
Both drivers remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Evidence gathered indicates that neither speed nor impairment appear to have been factors in the collision, and police said the semi truck driver was properly licensed.
The Kent Police Traffic Unit is continuing to investigate the incident.
