PIERCE COUNTY, WA. (THECOUNT) — A 36-year-old motorcyclist was killed overnight Sunday after crashing into a vehicle making a u-turn on State Route 7 in south Pierce County, Washington, according to the Washington State Patrol. Pierce County is located in western Washington, south of Tacoma, in the greater Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area.
The identity of the motorcyclist has not been released, pending the ongoing investigation.
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The crash occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the intersection of State Route 7 and 240th Street East, in the Elk Plain area south of Spanaway.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the motorcyclist was traveling southbound on SR-7 when he approached the intersection at 240th Street East. At the same time, the Yelm driver was positioned southbound in the center turn lane. Troopers say the Yelm driver began executing a u-turn when the motorcyclist struck his vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest in the intersection.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Yelm driver, 20, sustained injuries in the collision and was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup. His condition has not been released.
Following the crash, State Route 7 was blocked in both directions for approximately four hours as troopers investigated the scene.
The Washington State Patrol is leading the investigation into the fatal crash.
State Route 7, also known as Pacific Avenue South in its northern stretches, is a major north-south arterial running through Pierce County from Tacoma southward through the communities of Parkland, Spanaway, and Elk Plain before continuing into the rural foothills toward Mount Rainier. The corridor carries heavy commuter and commercial traffic and is one of the primary surface routes connecting south Pierce County’s unincorporated communities — which have seen significant residential growth in recent years — to Tacoma and the broader metropolitan area.
Yelm is a small city located in Thurston County, approximately 20 miles southeast of the crash site near the foothills east of Olympia.
Pierce County is the second most populous county in Washington state, with a population of over 900,000 residents. The county seat is Tacoma, the third-largest city in the state. The county is home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of the largest military installations in the United States, and borders King County — home to Seattle — to the north.
Washington state consistently records a significant number of motorcycle fatalities annually, with rural and suburban arterial highways presenting elevated risk due to high speeds, frequent intersection activity, and limited lighting during overnight hours.
Map: State Route 7 and 240th Street East in Elk Plain, south of Spanaway, in Pierce County, Washington. View approximate crash location on Google Maps. (Location is approximate.)
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
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