PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A 16-year-old is dead and three other teens were injured in a crash on Wednesday afternoon in Waller near Puyallup.
The crash happened at about 2 p.m. on Pioneer Way East and Stewart Avenue East, shutting down Pioneer Way in both directions for five hours.
Deputies said based on witnesses’ statements, investigators believe the 18-year-old driver was speeding.
Investigators said the vehicle with four teens inside clipped another vehicle that was making a left turn onto Pioneer Way, causing the teen driver to lose control.
“Fishtailed into the embankment, which got it sideways and into the pole. The speed from that car is the primary reason for the crash at this point,” said Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
The 16-year-old male passenger died. The three others in the car, all male, were seriously hurt and taken to the hospital.
Deputies told KIRO 7 that drivers often speed on the road, which they are investigating.
“We’ve seen, I think, five fatal collisions in the last three weeks, and that’s five too many,” Moss said.
Deputies said the driver could face vehicular homicide charges and they will find out if the driver was speeding or driving recklessly.
UPDATE: A car carrying 4 teens was traveling northbound on Pioneer Way at high speeds. The driver lost control at Stewart Ave, and the car went up an embankment and into a telephone pole. 3 of the teens were taken to the hospital. 1 teen died at the scene. pic.twitter.com/Q0HTpzENFF
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) March 31, 2021
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