Wrong-way driver suspected in SR 18 pileup near SR 169

A serious crash has shut down traffic on state Route 18 between Covington and Maple Valley, leaving three people with serious injuries and prompting officials to urge drivers to stay away from the area. The multi-vehicle crash involved at least three vehicles, blocking all eastbound lanes of State Route 18 near State Route 169 on Thursday, Washington State Patrol (WSP) said. Puget Sound Fire and the Washington State Patrol responded to the crash on eastbound Highway 18 west of Southeast 231st Street. Three patients were transported to Seattle-area hospitals with serious injuries, officials said. Initial reports indicated a wrong-way driver may have led to the crash, which involved at least three vehicles and possibly four, Washington State Patrol said. The cause remains under investigation. According to authorities, one person was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. Another person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital in serious condition, while a third patient was taken to an unknown location, also in serious condition. The Washington State Department of Transportation said all eastbound lanes of SR 18 at SR 169 remain blocked, while westbound traffic is restricted to the shoulder as emergency crews continue to respond. Eastbound traffic is being diverted at 256th, and the westbound lanes of SR 18 at SR 169 are also blocked, with traffic getting by on the shoulder, WSP said. There is no estimated time for reopening the roadway. The highway will remain closed until the investigation is complete. Officials urged drivers to avoid the area.