By KOMO Staff Saturday, July 9th 2016
BOTHELL, Wash. -- A semi driver was killed Friday night when his truck and trailer went over the side of an elevated off-ramp and landed upside down on the highway below.
The crash happened at about 9:30 p.m. in the Bothell area. The driver was heading westbound on State Route 522 when he attempted to exit onto Interstate 405, according to Trooper Chris Webb with the Washington State Patrol.
"This is an elevated off-ramp that goes over the top of 405. The truck went over the edge and landed on northbound 405," said Tom Pierce with the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The truck landed upside down, killing the driver, according to Webb.
Images captured by Department of Transportation cameras showed the wreckage scattered throughout the roadway.
Both directions of I-405 were immediately closed to traffic, but Webb said some southbound lanes could reopen to traffic late Friday night. He said northbound lanes would take longer to clear and reopen.
Department of Transportation crews were assisting WSP in cleaning oil that spilled on the highway. DOT engineers are also on scene checking to see if the highway was damaged.
It's unclear what caused the crash. No other vehicles were involved.
He was most likely going too fast for that off ramp and failed to negotiate that turn. The truck then rolled over to the side of the ramp and crashed to the highway below. It is a classic crash situation when a driver exits a fast highway and enters the off-ramp. If the the driver goes too fast for that off-ramp, then the truck rolls over. RIP.