Police & Fire

Six injured in collision that backed up Highway 16 traffic

Six local residents sustained injuries in a collision on eastbound Highway 16 at Sixth Avenue in Tacoma, on Tuesday morning, Aug. 6.

According to a collision report from the Washington State Patrol, a 2017 Mercedes GLE slowed for stopped traffic and was hit by the vehicle behind it, a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox.

Six people in the two vehicles, ranging in age from 6 months to 27 years old, were taken to Tacoma General and Mary Bridge hospitals in Tacoma. All are from the Gig Harbor area.

The collision occurred about 9:42 a.m. Tuesday and fully blocked the highway for a time. Three lanes of Highway 16 were blocked while state troopers investigated.

The backup stretched for six miles at one point, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Image from WSDOT’s traffic camera at Highway 16 and Sixth Avenue in Tacoma.