KALAMA, Wash. (KOIN) — Several members of a family died in a rollover crash on I-5 north near Kalama, Washington, Saturday evening.
Trooper Will Finn with Washington State Patrol said an SUV carrying 6 people — 3 adults and 3 children — crashed and rolled over several times. A mother was driving with her three kids and her parents.
Early Sunday, the Washington State Patrol publicly identified those involved in the crash.
Daryl M. Tuimavave, 36, was driving when she lost control. She was taken by ambulance to St. John Medical Center. Two children, 5 and 7 years old, were airlifted to Randall Children’s Hospital.
A 6-year-old girl died along with her grandparents, Oferia U. Nuusolia, 60, and Lokeni A. Nuusolia, 65. They all were pronounced dead at the scene after unsuccessful CPR by the first trooper at the scene.
Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the crash, investigators said.
Investigators believe Daryl Tuimavave became distracted by something in the car and when she refocused on the road, traffic had slowed and she overcorrected, leading her SUV into the median. Troopers said the SUV rolled at possibly twice before coming to a rest on its top.
Five people, who investigators believe were not wearing seatbelts, were ejected during the crash.
Troopers say a 6-year old girl & both grandparents died at the scene #KOIN6News pic.twitter.com/Lk7f3bUObP— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) July 15, 2018
“We consider this a pretty traumatic collision to be involved with but then you start adding the components of a child as well, it hits home,” Finn told KOIN 6 News. “I have small children myself and the majority of the troopers investigating have small children around the same age as this child, it’s extremely difficult.”
There is a GoFundMe set up for the family.