A woman has been accused of stabbing a young girl after a serious crash involving her SUV on a Washington state freeway. The incident occurred on Monday morning on southbound Interstate 5 near DuPont, where the woman, 35, from Steilacoom, reportedly threatened two girls with a knife after the vehicle rolled over and collided with a semi-truck.
As a result, a 9-year-old girl sustained multiple broken bones along with a stab wound, while a 15-year-old girl was hospitalized, fortunately without any serious injuries, according to local news reports.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene with one observer, Nathan Wilkinson, stating he was on his way to work when he saw two military men from Joint Base Lewis-McChord intervening. He recalled, “There were people standing around, then all of a sudden there was a flash, and then the two soldiers jumped on a person. … I heard a scream at that time.” The soldier managed to disarm the woman and took a knife away from her.
Wilkinson, who called 911, mentioned that bystanders helped subdue the woman until authorities arrived. Reports indicated that the SUV first hit the left-side barrier, swerved toward the right shoulder, and then came back across the freeway before striking the semi-truck. After the crash, the SUV rolled over. Thankfully, the driver of the truck was unharmed.
Authorities reported the woman had been driving erratically before the accident occurred. She was taken to a hospital for evaluation, but later was booked into the Pierce County Jail. Investigations are underway regarding charges that may include DUI and multiple counts of assault and reckless endangerment. However, it remains unclear whether formal charges have been filed.
The investigation continues to look into the exact cause of the crash, and the relationship between the woman and the two girls has not been clarified yet. Wilkinson expressed hope that the soldiers, who acted so bravely, would receive recognition for their quick response to the situation.
