UPDATE: A serious, wrong way collision killed an infant and closed SR 18 near the SE 256th Street exit in Covington on Monday afternoon, Oct. 21, 2024, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Emergency crews from Puget Sound Fire, King County Medic One, and the Washington State Patrol responded to the scene.
The closure initially closed eastbound traffic on Highway 18 east of the SE 256th Street exit, but both directions were shut down shortly thereafter.
“Once Life Flight leaves the scene, crews will work on getting some lanes reopened,” WSDOT said.
Officials advised drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
Here’s how the collision unfolded, according to the WSP:
- Vehicle #1 was traveling westbound on SR 18 at SE 240th in an unknown lane.
- Vehicle #2 was traveling eastbound on SR 18 in lane one of two.
- Vehicle #1 left the roadway, crossed the median, and entered the westbound lanes, striking vehicle #2.
- Vehicle #1 came to rest in lane 2 of 2, while vehicle #2 came to rest in lane 1 and on the right shoulder.
- The roadway was blocked for approximately four hours.
#Update This is sadly now a fatality investigation. The causing driver crossed over from the WB lanes of SR 18 and struck the vehicle traveling EB. Both drivers life flighted and a passenger in the EB vehicle sadly has passed. Still investigating if impairment involved.
— Trooper Rick Johnson (@wspd2pio) October 21, 2024
Puget Sound Fire, @KingCoMedicOne , and WSP on location of a serious accident on eastbound Hwy 18, east of the SE 256th Street exit. Eastbound Hwy 18 is closed at the SE 256th Street exit. pic.twitter.com/5lfegt1iBQ
— Puget Sound Fire (@PugetSoundFire) October 21, 2024
UPDATE: Both directions remain blocked on SR 18 near SE 256th St in #Covington. Once Life Flight leaves the scene, crews will work on getting some lanes reopened. https://t.co/K5BA2JAr4w pic.twitter.com/lbjlxxZfPH
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) October 21, 2024