An 18-year-old driver was arrested early Saturday morning, Mar. 29, 2025 on suspicion of impairment and vehicular assault following a 4-vehicle crash that injured three on northbound I–5 near South 188th Street, according to the Washington State Patrol (WSP).

The collision occurred just before 3 a.m., shutting down lanes and causing a significant response from emergency personnel. Traffic was backed up for almost two miles.

WSP said the crash involved four vehicles and that an 18-year-old driver from Renton believed to have caused the collision was taken into custody at the scene. That individual is expected to be booked into the King County Jail.

The crash occurred at approximately 2:49 a.m., when the suspected DUI driver struck a second vehicle traveling in the same direction. That vehicle then hit a metal road sign and was subsequently struck by a third vehicle in an adjacent lane. A fourth vehicle also collided with the second one during the sequence.

The crash injured three of the four drivers involved, with one being transported to Harborview Medical Center with injuries. Two others were evaluated at the scene and released. The fourth driver was not injured.

Three vehicles were totaled in the crash.

The collision blocked multiple lanes and caused a 5-hour, 40-minute closure on northbound I-5. The investigation is ongoing.