An unidentified driver died late Tuesday night on southbound Interstate 5 near Ridgefield when their SUV struck the back of another vehicle, veered off the freeway and struck a tree.
Washington State Patrol did not identify the driver killed in the crash or their vehicle, other than to report it was an SUV, according to a crash memo. The make and model of the SUV also were not reported.
Troopers are working on contacting the family of the driver, according to the memo.
The SUV was southbound on I-5 at Milepost 10 in the center lane just before midnight when it struck the rear right of a Nissan Versa sedan. It then left the roadway to the right, hit a tree in a ditch and caught fire, troopers said.
The driver of the Nissan, 18-year-old Marc A. Soto of Camas, stopped on the right shoulder of the freeway. Soto was not injured, troopers said.
Two Fire District 6 fire engines were dispatched to the crash scene, spokesman Dave Schmitke said. The first engine to arrive came upon a vehicle engulfed in flames; its crew pulled a water line and spent 10 minutes extinguishing the fire, Schmitke said.
A second fire engine arrived and started dousing nearby trees with water to prevent the fire from spreading, Schmitke said.
Troopers and Clark County deputies arrived moments later. The officers confirmed there was a body inside the burned SUV. Firefighters were requested to stay on scene to help retrieve the remains, Schmitke said.
The firefighters stayed at the scene of the crash for about an hour.
What caused the SUV’s driver to lose control is being investigated. The memo says it’s unknown if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
Soto was not cited or charged.
