Crime & Safety
Lakewood Woman, 18, Arrested After Fatal I-5 Crash
The woman's passenger, a 20-year-old from Tacoma, died in the suspected DUI crash.
FEDERAL WAY, WA — An 18-year-old Lakewood woman was arrested early Thursday morning after a suspected DUI crash in the southbound lanes of I-5 that left her passenger dead.
The incident happened around 3 a.m. near the King and Pierce County border. Zoe Phillips, of Lakewood, lost control of her Chevrolet Cobalt, hit a guardrail, and then came to rest in the middle of the highway facing westbound, WSP said.
A truck driven by Kidane Mengistu, 50, of Seattle, then hit Phillips' car. Mengistu and his passenger had minor injuries. Phillips' passenger, Cindy Thach, 20, of Tacoma, was killed. A second passenger in Phillips' car, a 26-year-old from Lakewood, had minor injuries.
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Phillips was arrested at the scene for vehicular homicide, WSP said.
The causing driver has been placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI, making this now a vehicular homicide case. Again, please slow down! The roadways are wet! pic.twitter.com/Nedka6I9oX
— Trooper Johnna Batiste (@wspd1pio) August 22, 2019
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