A woman allegedly stabbed a 9-year-old girl after crashing her SUV into a semi-truck on a Washington state freeway, prompting two soldiers to intervene and disarm her. The 35-year-old woman from Steilacoom was allegedly driving erratically before the crash on southbound Interstate 5 near DuPont, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The SUV struck the left-side barrier, veered toward the right shoulder, and then swerved back across the freeway, hitting the semi-truck in the middle lane. The semi-truck driver was not injured. The SUV struck the barrier again and rolled over. Two girls, a 9-year-old and a 15-year-old, were in the SUV at the time of the crash.
The 9-year-old girl suffered multiple broken bones and a stab wound, while the 15-year-old girl was hospitalized without serious injuries. The woman was initially taken to a hospital for evaluation and was later booked into the Pierce County Jail. Authorities are investigating her for DUI, vehicular assault, and first-degree assault.
Two soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord intervened in the incident, tackling the woman and disarming her. A witness, Nathan Wilkinson, said he was driving to work when he came upon the wreck and saw the soldiers intervene. "There's people standing around, then all of a sudden there was a flash, and then the two soldiers jumped on a person," Wilkinson said. "I heard a scream at that time."
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and the woman's relationship with the girls is not specified. The soldiers' names have not been released, but Wilkinson expressed hope that they would be recognized for their actions.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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