Community Police & Fire
Man driving stolen truck dies in crash on Highway 302
A 40-year-old Seattle man died in a collision Friday morning on Highway 302 west of Purdy.
The man, who hasn’t been named pending next of kin notification, was driving a 2020 Penske box truck westbound (away from the spit) near Gateway Park at 8:11 a.m., according to a Washington State Patrol report.
The truck had been reported as stolen to the Tukwila Police Department, Washington State Patrol public information officer Trooper Robert Reyer said.
“As far as contents (of the box truck), we’re not able to confirm they were stolen, but we highly suspect that they are,” Reyer said.
The yellow truck left the road to the right and struck a power box. It then veered across the highway into the westbound lane, where it glanced off a 1999 Chrysler Cirrus sedan and rolled into the ditch. The Cirrus stopped on the westbound shoulder.
🚨#Collision involving 1 moving truck and 2 cars on SR-302 at Gateway Park in Gig Harbor
Troopers on scene. Sadly, the driver of the moving truck was pronounced deceased at the scene
🚧 SR-302 is fully blocked in both directions@wsdot_tacoma diverting traffic around the scene pic.twitter.com/UU4KuhvUOO
— Trooper Robert Reyer (@wspd1pio) October 21, 2022
The truck driver, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, according to the report, was thrown from the vehicle. He died while en route to the hospital=.
The Cirrus driver, a 21-year-old Allyn man, was treated for injuries at the scene and released. His car sustained reportable damage. The truck was totaled.
It’s not known if drugs or alcohol were involved. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
The highway was blocked for 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Washington State Patrol photo shows the scene of a fatality collision on Highway 302 near Gateway Park.