Photo: Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson
Authorities found nobody inside a stolen van that veered off the road and fell into an embankment in Seattle, according to FOX 13.
The Washington State Patrol got a 911 call about a Ford Econoline swerving between lanes around 7 a.m. Sunday (August 7) on I-5. This was before it careened off the highway and plunged 50 feet into an embankment and crashed into a tree near Boeing Field, officials say.
State troopers and firefighters shut down two lanes of traffic for hours as crews searched for possible survivors. So far, they found no one inside the vehicle or in the area.
"We see it far too often out here, people make poor decisions and tragedy finds its way to the roadway," Sgt. James Maguire told reporters. "Any time we have a rollover crash like this, we always worry that someone got thrown from the vehicle. They were unable to find the driver. They searched with heat signatures. Didn't find any."
Officials later learned the van was stolen, and the investigation is ongoing. Maguire also thanked 911 callers for reporting the erratic driving.
"We rely heavily on people to call 911 to report erratic driving behaviors. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get here in time," the sergeant says.
If you have any information about the driver or passengers inside the van, call Washington State Patrol.