BURLINGTON, Wash. — Southbound I-5 at George Harper Road in Burlington has reopened after deadly, wrong-way motorcycle crash.
The area was shut down for several hours this morning as crews cleared and investigated the scene.
Around 6 a.m., traffic was backed up from Cook Road all the way to the Skagit River Bridge in Mount Vernon, according to Washington State Patrol (WSP) and WSDOT.
The Skagit County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART) is taking over the investigation. SMART is activated to investigate law enforcement deadly use of force incidents.
According to SMART Det. Sgt. Mike Lumpkin, a Washington State Patrol trooper tried to stop a motorcyclist heading south on I-5, near Mount Vernon. The motorcyclist sped off and the trooper stopped the chase.
When the trooper spotted the driver once more, they again tried to stop them. This time, the motorcyclist started travelling north on I-5 in the southbound lanes. The trooper once again stopped the chase once the driver went against traffic.
As the motorcycle approached the Skagit River Bridge, it hit a part of the bridge and the driver was thrown off.
When the driver was thrown off their bike, they were hit by an oncoming semi-truck.
The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead on the scene. No one else was injured.
This is a developing story.
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