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Crime & Safety

One Critical in Maple Valley Highway Crash

Police say a car crossed the center lane, striking two cars before 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The driver of a car that crossed the center lane of the Maple Valley Highway west of the Henry Moses Aquatic Center was in critical condition Wednesday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The driver was not identified by Renton Police.

Renton Fire and Emergency Services responded to the crash and had to extricate the driver from the silver vehicle before the driver was transported to Harborview by King County Medic One. Also in the vehicle was the driver's dog. Renton Animal Control took the dog to the Cedar River Animal Hospital, said Commander Clark Wilcox. The dog was said to have critical injuries also.

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The drivers of the other vehicles suffered minor injuries. According to Wilcox, the silver vehicle crossed the center lane, striking a red pick-up truck, then continuing westbound on Maple Valley Highway and striking a black vehicle head-on. Before impact with the black vehicle, another vehicle traveling eastbound went between the silver and black car, avoiding the collision.

Traffic around the accident created extra congestion around Interstate 405, Highway 169 and surface streets. Washington State Patrol closed the northbound 405 off-ramp to Maple Valley Highway in both directions, while Renton Police had the Maple Valley Highway closed between I-405 and Southeast 5th Street.

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Renton Police expected the Maple Valley Highway to be closed for several hours while they continued the investigation.

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