Everett driver faces vehicular assault charges in Centralia

The Chronicle (Centralia)

A driver accused of causing a five-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon on I-5 south of Grand Mound — injuring one — is facing charges of vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and threatening a public servant, according to a report from the Washington State Patrol.

The crash was reported at 4:03 p.m. Wednesday at milepost 87 of southbound I-5. According to a report from the state patrol, the incident began with three vehicles — a 2006 Nissan 350Z, a 2012 Ford Econoline and a 2017 Kia Optima were heading south in lane two of three at milepost 87.

The Nissan, whose driver was identified as Curtis L. Street, 31, of Everett, hit a 2020 Kenworth semi driven by a 51-year-old Oregon man in lane one, then continued and hit the Ford Econoline, driven by a 53-year-old Mossyrock woman.

Street’s vehicle then hit a 2019 Ford F150 truck driven by a 28-year-old Vancouver woman, according to the state patrol. Both the truck and the Nissan hit the median.

At that point, the Kia, driven by a 41-year-old Vancouver woman, hit debris from the crash, and the Ford F150 rolled “multiple times and came to rest on its top, in the ditch on the right shoulder,” according to the state patrol’s report.

Two lanes of southbound I-5 were blocked for five hours. According to the state patrol’s report, the crash was caused by driving under the influence, speed, lane travel and lane splitting.

The report indicates Street is facing charges of vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and threatening a public servant. According to the Thurston County Jail roster, he was being held without bail as of Thursday morning.

The Vancouver woman driving the Ford F150 was injured and transported to Centralia Providence Hospital. She was the only driver injured in the incident.