Four people were hospitalized and a driver is facing felony DUI, vehicular assault and child endangerment charges after a crash on state Route 7 in Pierce County at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Fernando Arenas Romero, 23, of Spanaway, was driving a Mazda CX-7 southbound approaching Kjelstad Road East when the vehicle left the roadway to the right, struck a stop sign, rolled and landed on its roof.
Two children in the vehicle — a 3-year-old and a 21-month-old — were airlifted to Mary Bridge Hospital. Romero and Erlyn A. Cumlat, 21, of Tacoma, were transported by a private vehicle to Arbor Health, Morton Hospital.
Drugs or alcohol are believed to have been a factor in the crash, according to the state patrol, which is continuing to investigate.
Romero was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. It’s unknown whether the passengers were wearing seat belts.
The vehicle was totaled.
