MARYSVILLE — Police are investigating what role speed and alcohol might have played in a six-vehicle accident in Marysville late Monday afternoon that sent a woman and her teenage daughter to the hospital.
Their car rolled several times.
“Speed is definitely a factor,” Marysville Police Department Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux said.
The woman, 29, of Marysville, was taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with what were described as life- threatening injuries. She was driving a Ford Taurus that police believe was speeding on the four-lane stretch of Highway 528, a prominent east-west corridor through town.
Her daughter, 15, suffered serious injuries to her lower body and was taken by ambulance to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
“We had two vehicles traveling westbound at a high rate of speed,” Lamoureux said.
Police believe the other car was driven by a man the woman had been drinking with at a local establishment Monday afternoon, Lamoureux said. Investigators believe the two are involved in a relationship, Lamoureux said.
The woman tracked the man down at a local grocery store.
“She was concerned he was too intoxicated to drive,” Lamoureux said. “He took off and she took off after him.”
The accident occurred around 4:45 p.m. near Jennings Park west of the Marysville YMCA.
Hours later, police tracked down and arrested the man, who they say had driven away from the accident scene. He was being investigated for drunken driving, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident, Lamoureux said. Even though his car was not involved in the collision, police believe his actions contributed to the accident, Lamoureux said.
The Taurus, driven by the woman, lost control after clipping the back of a westbound pickup truck, Lamoureux said. The first collision caused the Taurus to roll and strike a van used to transport energy drinks. More collisions followed among vehicles that were heading eastbound.
The driver of one of the other cars was transported to the hospital with minor injuries, Lamoureux said.
Detectives worked for several hours to analyze the accident scene.
Shattered glass and debris stretched for more than 250 yards. Traffic was detoured over a six-block stretch of roadway.
Marysville Fire District crews used Jaws of Life extraction equipment to get the woman and teen out of their mangled car.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Detective Jim Maples at 360-363-8300.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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