Vancouver man killed in wrong-way crash

A Vancouver man was identified as the person killed late Monday night in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 5 in the Salmon Creek area, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Seth J. Cusick, 43, was driving south in the northbound lanes of the freeway about 8:40 p.m. when his 2011 Ford Escape collided head-on with a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta driven by a Woodland teen near the Northeast 134th Street exit, according to the State Patrol.

Cusick was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver, Chloe Yates, 17, was critically injured and transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, according to Washington State Patrol spokesman Trooper Will Finn.

Finn said Tuesday afternoon that Yates had suffered multiple fractures to her legs and an arm, along with some internal injuries. She remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon, according to the hospital.

Finn said it was unclear how Cusick ended up going the wrong direction on the freeway. Initial witness reports said Cusick’s SUV entered the highway at the Northeast 179th Street ramp, but troopers were still following up.

It’s unclear whether a medical issue or some manner of driver impairment contributed to the crash, as investigators were waiting on an official report from the medical examiner. Getting those results could take a month or more, Finn said.

Traffic was blocked on the freeway for several hours as troopers investigated the scene.