A devastating head-on collision in Mason County has left two people dead and two others seriously injured. The crash occurred Tuesday afternoon at Belfair Tahuya Road near Belfair Elementary School. According to the Washington State Patrol, a 43-year-old woman was driving a blue 2008 Honda CR-V westbound when her vehicle crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and collided head-on with a silver 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup traveling eastbound.
Emergency responders arrived swiftly on the scene and discovered the driver of the CR-V had died at the site of the crash. Her passenger, a 39-year-old man from Belfair, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with life-threatening injuries. Sadly, he later died at the hospital.
The driver of the Chevrolet pickup, a 41-year-old man, and his 10-year-old passenger were both transported to Mason General Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Their conditions were reported as stable, and they are expected to recover.
Investigators with the Washington State Patrol are working to determine what caused the CR-V to veer into oncoming traffic. At this time, it is not yet clear if drugs, alcohol, or distracted driving were factors in the incident. Authorities closed Belfair Tahuya Road for several hours while investigators processed the scene and cleared the wreckage. Traffic was rerouted, and nearby schools and residents were advised to avoid the area during the closure.
This fatal crash has shaken the small Belfair community, especially given its proximity to the elementary school. The Washington State Patrol is asking any witnesses or those with relevant dashcam footage to come forward to assist in the investigation. As of now, no charges have been filed, and the identities of the victims have not yet been publicly released pending notification of next of kin.
