Three people were hospitalized after a six-vehicle crash involving a school bus and a car hauler on northbound Interstate 5 in Thurston County on Thursday morning.
There were no kids on the school bus at the time of the crash, according to reporting by KIRO 7 News.
The driver of the car hauler, identified by the Washington State Patrol as Juan Hernandez Santos, 40, of De Huentitilan, Mexico, was arrested for driving without a valid commercial driver’s license.
The car hauler was reportedly driving northbound on I-5 at Martin Way in Lacey when the cars in front of it slowed for traffic, according to the state patrol.
Hernandez Santos failed to slow for traffic and struck the school bus and a 2012 Ford Fusion.
The school bus, driven by Augustin Bannis, 68, of Olympia, and carrying a 32-year-old passenger, came to rest on the right shoulder.
The Ford Fusion, driven by Chelsae Roberson, 30, of Lacey, spun and came to rest facing the wrong way in front of a 2019 Kia Forte. The Kia Forte, driven by Ma Khristina P. Catindig, 48, of Yelm, struck the Ford Fusion. Both vehicles came to rest on the right shoulder.
The car hauler then struck a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by Many A. Debruyn, 26, of Lacey, pushing the Hyundai Elantra into a 2023 Kia K5 driven by Jennifer C. Bradshaw, 59, of Lacey. The car hauler then also struck the Kia K5 before finally coming to rest blocking all three lanes of travel.
The Hyundai Elantra came to rest on the right shoulder while the Kia K5 came to rest against the car hauler.
The crash was reported at 7:27 a.m. The roadway was blocked for two hours and 34 minutes as a result of the crash, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Catindig, Debruyn and Bradshaw were injured and were transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital for treatment.
Washington State Patrol has determined the cause of the crash was “following too close,” according to an incident report.
Alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the incident, state patrol reported.
