Sleeping Driver Slams into Firetruck Helping I-5 Rollover Crash

Trooper Rick Johnson with the Washington State Patrol shared a wild scene after South King Fire crews responding to a rollover DUI crash were hit by another sleeping driver.

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When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they blocked lanes while they were working on keeping the rollover crash victims safe. Before they could even finish the job, the situation got more complicated when a different driver crashed into them.

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A Firetruck Assisting a Roadside Car Crash Gets Hit by a Sleeping Driver

Firefighters and troopers were working on the DUI rollover when another driver entered the scene and struck a firetruck protecting the crash site. The driver later told authorities they had fallen asleep behind the wheel. Imagine that, nodding off and waking up to find yourself crashed into a huge firetruck. That “sleepy” driver is lucky to even be alive.

Thankfully, this crash only caused minor injuries, but it could have been much worse. That’s the best possible outcome given the circumstances, but also a reminder to me of just how dangerous it is when drivers lose focus or fall asleep at the wheel.

Firetrucks and patrol cars are often parked in harm’s way to shield people, but they can only do so much when another vehicle barrels through.

The Bigger Lesson Learned Today on I-5

This crash today in Federal Way is a double reminder. First, driving under the influence is already dangerous enough. Second, drowsy driving can be just as risky as driving under the influence.

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Both crashes happened in the same stretch, within minutes of each other. The simple math says this situation could have been far worse. I do not know about you, but for me, “I fell asleep” will not cut it when people's lives are at risk.