Police are very seldom witnesses to traffic accidents. In most, if not all cases, officers must engage in an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
Eye-witnesses to the collision are often the most valuable source of evidence about the circumstances of the accident.
Sometimes, however, an accident occurs without any eye-witnesses who can provide evidence about the cause of the accident. A recent accident in Kent provides a detailed picture of such an accident.
The Accident
On Monday, April 8, 2024, the Washington State patrol received a 911 call describing a two-vehicle accident on I-5 near Kent.
When state troopers arrived on the scene, a Seattle police officer advised them that the driver they believed to be at fault for the accident had fled the scene on foot and that they had not been able to locate or capture the suspect.
Additional responding troopers had also searched for the suspect but were unable to find him.
The driver of the suspect vehicle was believed to have been traveling at a high speed on I-5 when it struck the other car. That car was forced into the median strip where it rolled over and came to a stop. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Further investigation revealed that the allegedly over-speeding car had recently been stolen in Tukwila. Police are now seeking information from witnesses to the accident, although none were identified in media reports.
The aftermath
The physical condition of the Ford driver was not specified in media reports. While the injuries may not be life-threatening, they may well be life-altering, giving rise to a claim for thousands of dollars or more in damages for medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.
The success of any a personal injury claim often depends upon whether the police are able to find and arrest the driver and whether the driver has sufficient insurance to pay such a claim. The assistance of an experienced attorney is always helpful in such cases.