1 dead after SUV plunges off overpass onto Interstate 5 in Tacoma





TACOMA -- An SUV plunged off the L Street overpass onto southbound Interstate 5 near the Tacoma Dome during the afternoon rush hour Friday, killing the driver and forcing the closure of most southbound lanes for about 90 minutes, police said.

The vehicle was traveling south on the L Street overpass when, for some unknown reason, the driver took a hard right, broke through the guardrail and plummeted onto the freeway, the Tacoma police said.

The driver was killed. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has identified that person as 18-year-old Heidy Morales of Tacoma.

The SUV didn't hit any other cars, even though it happened in the middle of rush hour.

Several motorists ran over to help.

Tanya Kostelecky, a former volunteer firefighter, said she was there and stopped to help the driver of the SUV.

"It was the most amazing thing to watch and be a part of," she told Q13 FOX News. "I think there was about 20 guys lifting the SUV. Just to see all those men do that and try to save somebody's life."

She wrote on Facebook, "I was helping and unfortunately the lady was non responsive! Very sad."

Most of the southbound lanes of I-5 were closed for about 90 minutes and reopened at about 5 p.m.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office plans on releasing an exact cause of death for Morales on Monday.