Driver arrested, teen critically injured after rollover crash into Lake Washington in South Seattle

Officers with the Seattle Police Department arrested a driver who they believed showed signs of impairment after a rollover crash into Lake Washington Saturday evening that critically injured a teenage girl.

Detective Brian Pritchard with SPD Public Affairs said officers arrested a 20-year-old woman Saturday evening for her role in a rollover crash into Lake Washington in South Seattle’s Rainier Valley neighborhood, critically injuring a 17-year-old girl. The girl remains in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center as of Sunday morning. The woman is facing vehicular assault as a result of the crash.

Police said shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, officers with the department went to the Atlantic City Boat Ramp on Seward Park Avenue South regarding reports of a car submerged under the water. When officers and paramedics from Seattle Fire arrived at the ramp, they found a 20-year-old woman on the shore in stable condition. She told emergency personnel that a 17-year-old girl was still in the water.

Divers with SFD and harbor patrol officers with SPD went into the water and searched for the girl, pulling her out unresponsive. Paramedics started CPR and took her to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

Following an investigation by the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad and officers with SPD, police found that the woman and girl parked at the ramp before the incident. But, the driver crashed and rolled over into the water. The driver got out of the car through a window followed by the girl, but the girl couldn’t swim to shore.

Police said the driver showed signs of impairment. She was taken into custody at the scene for vehicular assault.

KIRO 7 reached out to Pritchard regarding why the car crashed, and he said that an operator error caused it to plunge into the water. There were no further details to provide at this time.

If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Traffic Collision Investigations Squad at 206-684-8923.