Crime & Safety

State Patrol Seeks Witnesses to Fatal I-90 Pile-Up

Washington State Patrol are seeking witnesses in last week's crash on I-90 between I-405 and 148th Avenue in Bellevue involving a logging truck and 13 other vehicles, resulting in the death of a 9-year-old Issaquah girl.

The Washington State Patrol continues to investigate the multi-vehicle crash that .

, around 8 a.m. when a tractor trailer struck a logging truck and set off a 14-vehicle pileup on westbound Interstate 90 just east of the Interstate 405 exit.

The tractor trailer, driven by Richard H. Noble, 60, of Concrete, was headed westbound in the right-hand lane and came upon stopped traffic, said Washington State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Keith Trowbridge.

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Noble tried to brake, but lost control of his semi and struck a logging cab in the next lane, which was driven by Michael M. Mullins, 61, of Randle, said Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Trooper Julie Startup

The logging cab's rear axle and rear assembly came off, and the load of the logging cab started to fishtail and strike multiple vehicles before Mullins was able to pull the logging truck to the right shoulder of the freeway, Trowbridge said.

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The tractor trailer driven by Noble also struck some vehicles that were stopped, Trowbridge said. In all, 14 vehicles were involved, according to the state patrol. Seven people, including Rachel, her younger sister and their mother, Samantha Paul, were taken to local hospitals.

The crash and the investigation blocked Interstate 90 traffic for hours.

Anyone with information, who has not been in contact with investigators, is asked to call either Detective Greg Wilcoxson at 360-805-1195 or Detective Jeff Maijala at 425-401-7742.


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