STEVENS PASS — Four young people from Snohomish came close to death on U.S. 2 near Stevens Pass early today after the speeding car they were riding in shot off the highway and nearly went down a 300-foot embankment, the Washington State Patrol reported.
All of those in the car received injuries — none believed life-threatening. They were taken to Valley General Hospital in Monroe. The driver, 19, was arrested for investigation of driving under the influence.
Trooper Keith Leary said the woman and her companions, all young men ages 15, 16 and 18, had been drinking in Lynnwood.
“At some point one of them had a wild hair and said ‘Let’s go play in the snow.’ So they drove to Stevens Pass,” he said.
As the group headed west, returning from their trip after 12:30 a.m., the driver failed to slow for a curve about 12 miles east of Skykomish. The Hyundai Accent she was driving slid into a snowbank, hopped a guardrail and struck a state Department of Transportation sign.
The vehicle came close to dropping down a steep slope, Leary said.
“We are very lucky we don’t have four dead teenagers in this collision,” he said.
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