FERNDALE, Wash. — First responders were dispatched to the northbound lanes of I-5 south of the Main Street interchange in Ferndale about 6:40pm, Thursday, March 24th, due to a report of a blocking crash.
According to initial WSDOT camera images of the scene, 1 vehicle was blocking the left lane, and another was off the roadway facing the opposite direction.
Upon arriving at the scene, Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Jacob Kennett reported this was a multi-car head-on collision. Initial indications were that a southbound vehicle had crossed the median into the northbound lanes.
Kennett later told Whatcom News there were a total of 3 cars involved in the incident. A black Honda Civic had just entered the southbound lanes of I-5 from Main Street and attempted to change to the left lane. That caused a gray Honda to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision. While successful at avoiding a collision with the other Honda, the driver lost control and the vehicle crossed the median into the northbound lanes where it collided nearly head-on with a red Toyota RAV4.
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Click for more informationNorthbound traffic was able to get past the crash scene slowly via the right lane and shoulder.
As of 6:50pm, northbound traffic was backed up for about a mile.
Whatcom County Fire District 7 Division Chief Ben Boyko told Whatcom News they treated and released 1 patient at the scene and transported another with non-life-threatening injuries to PeaceHealth St Joseph Medical Center.
First responders were dispatched about 7:25pm to a separate injury crash in the backup at the Slater Road interchange.
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Kennett told Whatcom News a vehicle in the right lane was rear-ended by another vehicle that ended up in the median. The vehicle that had been rear-ended ended up in the grass off the right side of the lanes along with another vehicle that took evasive action to avoid a collision.
The driver in the vehicle that ended up in the media was transported by ambulance to St Joseph Medical Center with unknown injuries.
Northbound traffic was being diverted off I-5 at Slater Road and then back on via the Slater Road on-ramp while WSP troopers investigated the crash.
As of 7:45pm, the first crash scene south of Main Street appeared mostly cleared with both lanes open while both lanes were still blocked under the Slater Road interchange overpass.
As of 8pm, northbound traffic was no longer being diverted at Slater as the right lane had been reopened open and both lanes were reopened by 8:30pm.
Kennett said investigations into both crashes are ongoing and was unable to immediately say what, if any, charges or citations would be issued.