Crime & Safety

Single-Vehicle Accident Closes Lanes on West Valley Highway East, Driver Has Critical Injuries

A single vehicle rollover accident shut down West Valley Highway East in Sumner at the start of rush hour on Tuesday.

A single vehicle rollover accident shut down West Valley Highway East on both directions during the start of rush-hour traffic on Tuesday. The driver, a 61 year-old man, was transported to Tacoma General with critical injuries.

Only one lane in both directions on West Valley Highway East is open at this time, but City of Sumner spokesperson Carmen Palmer said that the highway should be fully functional again within 45 minutes.

“Fingers crossed, it looks like he is going to make it,” said Palmer.

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East Pierce firefighters were called to the scene at 4:46 p.m. The vehicle was found in a ditch on the 5400 block of West Valley Highway E. and had ‘significant’ damage.

Firefighters were forced to use the ‘jaws of life’ and other tools to remove the top of the car to extricate the driver, the only occupant.

Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Witnesses said the driver lost control of his car and hit an embankment, spinning several times before landing in a ditch on the highway that boarders Sumner and Edgewood.


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