Southbound SR 509 closed when car falls onto roadway

BURIEN – Southbound State Route 509 was closed for several hours Wednesday morning due to a rollover accident in Burien with at least five cars involved.

It happened shortly after 5 a.m. in the southbound lanes near the intersection with S. 128th Street.

Washington State Patrol troopers say a suspect vehicle came down an embankment on the west side of the road, and rolled when it came onto SR 509.  Another vehicle then struck the suspect’s vehicle.  At least three additional vehicles then crashed into the collision.

The driver of the suspect vehicle fled on foot but was arrested by King County  Sheriff’s deputies. Charges are pending, officials said.

At least one passenger in the first vehicle that hit the car is in critical condition at Harborview. Several others received minor injuries in the accident. There condition was unknown.

When troopers first arrived on the scene, they couldn’t believe the damage they witnessed, Trooper Chris Webb said.

“There are four vehicles up there," Webb said. "None of them are drivable. In fact, one of them, the suspect vehicle, I came up there and we were questioning what kind of vehicle it was we were just not even able to figure out. It’s that far demolished.”

Troopers said the investigation lasted several hours because of debris that scattered the road.



“The entire road is closed. There’s debris and cars littering the entire road for about 150 yards. That’s evidence. That’s the scene. That’s part of the scene that we have to measure and take for evidence as part of the investigation,” Webb said.

State Route 509 was reopened shortly after 9 a.m.