JBLM Reservist Killed In Lakewood Hit-And-Run: Police

LAKEWOOD, WA - A 32-year-old Joint Base Lewis-McChord reserve soldier died in a hit-and-run car crash Wednesday morning in Lakewood. Police are investigating the crash as a possible vehicular homicide. The crash involved a single vehicle in which the JBLM reservist was a passenger.

The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of 108th Street Southwest and Douglas Drive Southwest, which is in the Hidden Lake area. The car was traveling westbound on 108th, police said, when it left the road and hit a utility pole. Police believe speed and impairment were factors in the crash.

The 21-year-old driver, also a JBLM soldier, fled the scene on foot, but police were able to track him to a nearby apartment complex. The suspect was "verbally and physically assaultive" with officers, Lakewood police said in a press release. The driver was treated at St. Joseph's Hospital before being arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

West Pierce firefighters removed the passenger from the vehicle and attempted to revive him, but were unsuccessful.

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