LAKEWOOD, Wash. — The people in the fleeing SUV that hit emergency vehicles on I-5 in Lakewood on Monday morning had warrants out for their arrest.
The driver was previously charged with stealing a vehicle. The passenger failed to appear in court.
All northbound lanes of I-5 were closed for more than five hours near JBLM after a series of incidents.
The traffic mess began around 1:45 a.m. Monday when a semi truck caught fire on I-5 near Berkeley Street in Lakewood. The fire apparently started in the cargo area of the truck, which was hauling Cheesecake Factory shrimp and cheesecake, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Ryan Burke.
Several agencies responded to the semi truck fire, including WSP, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and local fire crews.
Then a separate incident ended with a collision at the scene of the semi truck fire.
Around 3:05 a.m., the Thurston County Sheriff's Office began pursuing an SUV after the driver fled during a traffic stop. Deputies joined and ended their pursuit of the SUV twice.
When deputies learned there was slowed traffic near JBLM, they called off the pursuit for good. However, the Chevrolet Tahoe continued on northbound I-5.
When the Tahoe came upon the scene of the semi truck fire around 3:50 a.m., it slammed into two fire trucks, a WSDOT Incident Response truck, a patrol car, and a civilian vehicle, according to WSP Trooper Johnna Batiste.
A WSDOT worker narrowly escaped injury when the suspect SUV ripped off the door of the worker's truck.
The driver and passenger of the SUV were seriously injured in the crash but are expected to survive. A dog that was in the SUV was critically injured but in stable condition at the Pierce County Humane Society.