High speed, alcohol blamed for fatal crash

Published 5:32 pm Sunday, June 21, 2015

GRANITE FALLS — An Arlington-area man was driving up to 119 mph before the crash that took his life in February, officials have determined.

Richard K. Erickson, 43, was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol before the Feb. 14 wreck along the Mountain Loop Highway, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

“The driver had marijuana and alcohol in his system,” Sgt. Andy Kahler said. “His excessive speed was one of the causes for the collision.”

Erickson was alone in a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta, heading westbound. He lost control about 3.5 miles east of Granite Falls, near the Masonic Family Park. The Oldsmobile struck a power pole and went into some trees.

The car was found suspended between several large trees, about eight feet above the ground, sheriff’s spokeswoman Shari Ireton said. Detectives’ calculations put Erickson’s speed before impact at between 90 and 119 mph.

The crash was reported just before 1 p.m. Fire crews assisted with recovering the car from the trees.

Erickson died from blunt-force injuries to the torso, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office. His death was ruled an accident.

No other vehicles were involved. The investigation recently was closed.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.