WA Man Montrell Tormel Red Charged In Lakewood I-5 Crash That Left 3 Dead

Montrell Tormel Red, 23, was charged Friday with three counts of vehicular homicide and failure to remain at an injury accident after a deadly collision on I-5 early Thursday morning.

“Marijuana is legal in Washington, but not when you’re driving,” Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said. “And texting and driving can be as dangerous as drinking and driving.”

According to witnesses, at around 2 a.m. Thursday, Red’s Nissan Maxima entered southbound Interstate 5 at Bridgeport Way, then attempted to make a lane change around a slower vehicle and lost control. Red crossed all lanes to the left and struck a Honda CR-V also traveling southbound in the far-left lane.

Red did not check on the occupants of the Honda and drove off. A witness, who is a Seattle Police Department dispatcher, saw Red attempting to flee the scene and followed the defendant, calling 911.

Red eventually stopped and attempted to rip off the damaged rear bumper. State troopers arrived and took him into custody.

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