She responded to a crash—and became part of it

By: Celeste Dimichina

When a crash happens on a Washington highway, our crew responds to help those involved and quickly reopen the highway.

Around 9:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, that’s exactly what happened when WSDOT Maintenance and Incident Response Technician Rachel Suitter was called to a crash on SR 504 in Castle Rock.

When crew arrived, they saw how serious the crash was, and they closed both directions of the highway. This gave first responders space to provide lifesaving medical attention to and allow Washington State Patrol to investigate.

After about five hours, the investigation was nearly complete. Rachel and her crew were standing by, ready and waiting to reopen the highway.

Then, in a matter of seconds, everything changed.

“I knew I was going to get hit.”

Rachel was sitting inside her truck, which was positioned for traffic control and to help provide a barrier of protection for those working the scene ahead, when a call came over the radio: a car was approaching fast.

Too fast.

“I looked in my mirrors and saw a truck come around the corner,” Rachel said. “It was fishtailing. I watched it for a few seconds … and I knew I was going to get hit.”

Following her training, she checked her seat belt, put her truck into drive to help reduce the impact, then she honked her horn to warn those who were at the scene.

Seconds later, the truck slammed into her.

But it didn’t stop there.

A chain reaction of chaos

After hitting Rachel’s truck, the driver—who later was charged with driving under the influence, vehicular assault, and reckless endangerment—lost a tire but kept going.

The vehicle hit a WSP patrol car on the shoulder. Then it crossed the highway and hit another patrol car, striking and seriously injuring the deputy coroner.

“It was just pure chaos,” Rachel said. “You go from wrapping up a crash to suddenly seeing more cars hit and more people get hurt. You feel helpless.”

Crash scene on SR 504 near Reynolds Road in Castle Rock, WA.

This didn’t have to happen

This crash could have been prevented.

Before reaching the crash site, the driver passed:

• Multiple “ROAD CLOSED” signs.
• WSDOT vehicles blocking the roadway with flashing lights.
• Emergency and law enforcement vehicles with flashing lights.
• Crew working on the scene.

“I don’t know what else we can do,” said Rachel. “There were signs, lights—everything. The driver should never have even made it that far.”

“We have families too”

For Rachel, the impact didn’t end when the crash was over.

Like many first responders and transportation workers, she went back to work soon after. But the experience stayed with her.

“You carry that with you,” she said. “It’ll never go away. I can still feel the impact and see the entire scene playing out in slow motion. I feel helpless all over again, and I feel angry.”

Rachel has worked for the state for more than 20 years. But she’s also a mom, a wife, and a caregiver.

“We have families too,” Rachel said. “At the start of every shift, I’m already thinking about getting back home. My kids, my husband and my elderly parent rely on me. When I get in my work truck, my family is on my mind. If something happens to me, my kids could lose their mom, my parent will lose a child, and my husband could lose his spouse. The public trusts us to keep the roads safe. We trust the public to make safe choices on the road.

Rachel poses with her husband and son in front of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

Rachel, left, hugs her son before heading to work.

Rachel, right, poses with her daughter during a family gathering.

Work zones are workplaces

When you drive through a work zone or a crash site, you’re driving through someone’s workplace.

“Our office is the road,” Rachel said. “People don’t always realize that. We don’t have cubicles or walls.”

Crews train year-round on safety and the risks they face. But there’s one thing they can’t control: drivers.

“We can’t prepare for someone who chooses to drive impaired,” she said. “And to be honest, we shouldn’t have to. Safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

A message we’ll keep repeating

Stories like Rachel’s matter because they’re preventable.

• There is no excuse. Never drive impaired!
• Pla ahead — use a ride share or a designated driver
• Slow down and move over — it’s the law!
• Stay alert in work zones.
• Follow signs and directions from crews and law enforcement.

These aren’t suggestions. Consistently following the rules of the road save lives.

The choice — and the consequences

Driving impaired is a choice.

If that choice leads to a crash, the effects don’t end at the scene. People can be seriously hurt, and families can be changed forever. First responders, crews and law enforcement carry that trauma for the rest of their lives.

Rachel will never forget that night.

Others may not make it back home at all.

Behind every orange vest is a real person whose life depends on the actions of the public. Every time you get behind the wheel, your choices matter more than you realize.

Rachel asks everyone traveling on every road, every day, “please help us get home.”

Rachel stands beside her WSDOT Incident Response Team truck before heading out to assist travelers.