Police are investigating the cause of a complex four-vehicle collision on SR-500 near Vancouver. The truck and car accident killed one person and injured two others. According to early police reports, alcohol may have been a causative factor.
A 53-year-old woman was driving a Cadillac Escalade west on SR-500 when she apparently crossed the centerline and struck the rear end of a westbound Ford F250 pickup. The impact spun the pickup and forced it into the eastbound lane, where it collided with a Volkswagen Jetta. Rebounding from the initial collision, the Cadillac then smashed head-on into an eastbound Pontiac Vibe. The driver of the Vibe succumbed to her injuries at a nearby hospital. The driver of the Cadillac and the Volkswagen were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of what are believed to be critical injuries. Their exact medical conditions have not been disclosed. The driver of the Ford pickup was apparently injured, but he was not hospitalized. The accident closed all lanes of SR-500 near Milepost 9 at about 10:30 a.m.
The driver of the Cadillac is believed to have caused the accident, and she is being investigated for driving a vehicle while under the influence of either alcohol or drugs. Police said that the accident is currently being investigated and that no arrests have been made. The speed of the vehicles was not released by police.
The driver of the Volkswagen and the family of the driver of the Pontiac Vibe may have claims against the driver of the Cadillac. Sorting out liability issues may require significant forensic analysis of the vehicles' speeds, precise direction of travel, and functioning of their brakes. Anyone who has suffered an injury or lost a loved one in a multi-vehicle accident may benefit from consulting an attorney who handles such cases. Such a consultation may provide a useful evaluation of the evidence and an estimate of the likelihood of recovering damages.
Source: Fox12, "Deadly crash shuts down SR-500 in Vancouver area; one driver suspected of DUI-drugs,"
