Three people killed in wreck on Whidbey Island

WHIDBEY ISLAND -- At least three people were confirmed dead Friday night after a suspected drunken-driving crash at the intersection of Highway 20 and Monkey Hill Road.

Two vehicles were involved in the crash just before 9 p.m., said Trooper Mark Francis with the Washington State Patrol. Three more people were taken to a local hospital.

One person was booked for investigation of driving under the influence. More information was not immediately available.

It was one in a series of crashes throughout the county Friday as Labor Day weekend began.

As early as noon, northbound I-5 began backing up for miles after a Chevrolet Blazer rolled into a ditch just north of the Highway 526 overpass.

Asia Newman, who was in the next lane of the highway running a work errand, saw the accident. Newman, 23, of Marysville, pulled over and called 911.

"It had landed upside down, and debris flew everywhere," she said. "It seemed like it just kept flipping and flipping."

In shock, she contemplated running across the highway to help before she saw emergency crews arriving.

"I was hysterical in my car. I just started crying," she said. "I didn't think whoever was in that car could survive that kind of accident."

The Blazer's driver, an Everett man, 23, was in critical condition Friday evening, said Francis.

The man was merging onto the highway from Everett Mall Way just before noon, Francis said. A car in front of him changed lanes, legally. The Blazer's driver lost control.

The Blazer came to a rest in a ditch upside down. The man was partially ejected. He suffered serious injuries to his head and shoulders, as well as a bruised lung and fractured hip.

Traffic was backed up as far as seven miles from the scene and the congestion lasted for hours.

At 4 p.m., northbound I-5 stalled again when a car hit a motorcyclist while making a bad lane change near 128th Street in Mill Creek, Francis said.

The motorcyclist, a Marysville man, 55, was seriously hurt and taken to the hospital. The driver of the car was later arrested for investigation of hit and run.

Within minutes of the Mill Creek crash, traffic on Highway 9 south of Snohomish was temporarily stopped after a three-car collision, Francis said. A car heading southbound couldn't stop and hit a second car that was waiting to make a left turn. The second car was thrown head-on into a northbound vehicle. Only minor injuries were reported, partially thanks to seat-belt use, Francis said.

It's been a troublesome week for traversing Snohomish County.

On Wednesday night, the commute ground to a halt for hours as police officers shut down I-5 for a massive hunt for a fugitive. That morning, another car swerved into a Buick LeSabre on I-5, sending it broadside into an Everett Transit bus.

Officials are unsure why that stretch of I-5 seemed to be an accident hotspot this week.

A state Department of Transportation spokesperson said there doesn't seem to be any connection or pattern.