A driver was arrested this morning on suspicion of DUI after reportedly rear-ending a Washington State Patrol trooper about two miles north of the Seattle Premium Outlet Mall.
Trooper Mack Hyatt, 58, a 35-year veteran of the State Patrol, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was extracted from the unmarked patrol car, said Trooper Keith Leary in an e-mail. Hyatt was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
The accident occurred on the northbound lanes of I-5 at Milepost 204 about one mile south of the 172nd Street exit to Smokey Point.
One lane of I-5 was closed, but two others remained open. Traffic was backed up for several miles.
The trooper was on the left side of the northbound lane near the grassy cabled median when his car was struck by a black Durango.
The car crossed three lanes of traffic before striking the patrol car, Leary said. The driver, his wife and two daughters were able to walk away from the collision.
Today’s accident was the fifth time in recent weeks that troopers’ patrol cars have been struck by other drivers, Leary said.
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