EVERETT — A driver died early Monday morning after crashing into a stopped state Department of Transportation dump truck on the shoulder of I-5 in Everett.
The accident occurred shortly before 3 a.m. along a stretch of northbound I-5 just north of Everett Mall Way, according to a Washington State Patrol memo.
The memo did not list the age or gender of the driver.
The body was badly burned in the fire and troopers are deferring to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner to make a positive identification, state patrol Sgt. Mark Francis said.
“There are no visible signs of any braking,” Francis said.
It appears the 1991 Ford Explorer SUV first rubbed against a jersey barrier before hitting the truck, which was being used to provide a buffer to protect a street-sweeping vehicle, Francis said.
The truck had stopped on the left shoulder and had its yellow lights on.
The SUV burst into flames and flipped over.
The dump truck driver, a 25-year-old Lynnwood man, was examined for a minor injury. He retrieved a fire extinguisher and tried to rescue the other driver, but it was too late, Francis said.
The left lanes of I-5 were closed for several hours while troopers investigated the crash scene.
The safety of drivers and state workers has long been a concern along multi-lane state highways, Francis said. State law requires drivers to move over a lane or slow down when they pass emergency vehicles, tow trucks and state vehicles with overhead lights on.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
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