SNOHOMISH – It was a case of purebred canine road rage.
On Wednesday, a dogfight in the back of a minivan was blamed for sending the vehicle off the road, where it teetered on the edge of a 100-foot embankment, officials said.
Firefighters rescued three people and three dogs from the van, which came to a stop atop some blackberry bushes, Snohomish County Fire District 4 Lt. Bill Scherer said.
The accident happened after two dogs got into a fight in the back of the van, distracting the driver and resulting in the vehicle leaving the road, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
Rescue crews from fire districts 4 and 7 used rope to secure the van about 10 a.m. near the intersection of 85th Avenue SE and Riverview Road in Snohomish, Scherer said.
The driver and two elderly passengers were rescued through a door, he said. One victim was taken from the van using a rescue basket. The other two were able to crawl out of the van on their own, Scherer said.
The three people were taken to Valley General Hospital in Monroe with minor injuries, District 4 Battalion Chief Craig Heike said.
Because of federal privacy laws, the victims’ names were not immediately available.
Three small dogs also were rescued from the van and handed over to relatives, Scherer said.
Officials didn’t know what role, if any, the third dog had in the incident.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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