68-year-old dies in motorcycle crash on SR-7 in Spanaway

Yahoo

01-03-2025

One man is dead following a crash Thursday on State Route 7 in Spanaway.
In a newly released video captured during the crash, the motorcyclist can be seen falling off his bike and nearly causing even more chaos by colliding with what looks to be a USPS van.
It appears that the van did not stay at the scene. However, when we asked troopers about this, they said they were not looking at the incident as a hit and run because they said there was no evidence on the road or the rider showing that was the case.
The motorcycle was racing down the road, driving along the double, yellow-striped center lane, before crashing into the median and rolling into the road. In the video, it appears the man rolls underneath the van.
The van appears to have a USPS logo on the side, but we have not been able to confirm it belongs to the agency. We reached out to USPS to ask about this. So far, they have not gotten back to us.
KIRO 7 did speak with Trooper John Dattilo of the Washington State Patrol to inquire as to why this isn't considered a hit and run.
'Even though the video shows the rider may have landed in front of a van and subsequently been run over, there's no roadway evidence and there's no evidence on the motorcycle rider himself to support that,' says Trooper Dattilo.
He confirmed that detectives would be investigating further if they considered this incident as a hit and run. He also stated that troopers have not had any additional contact with the driver of that van.
But, he did mention that anytime we see nicer weather, there's also an increase in crashes. A stark reminder to drivers to be mindful of others on the road.
Meanwhile, troopers are still trying to get in touch with the family of the man who was killed, so we still don't know who he is.
As it turns out, the tragedy occurred at an intersection that some local businesses say has been a problem for years.
Some who work nearby say they're still pretty shaken up.
'It was really bad. Honestly, last night I couldn't really sleep,' says Qadir Norri.
He runs 'White Eagle Motorsports,' a used car business that sits on the same block as the accident. But, he's also a motorcyclist who knows the risks involved when he gets on the road. He says this is the worst possible outcome.
'I've seen things like that. But, this was like really bad,' Norri continued. 'Like, his head was kind of smashed completely.'
Meanwhile, Nicholas Boullester, Owner of 'Who's Your Data?', has been in the area for the past 15 years. And, even though he's never experienced anything as tragic as what took place yesterday, he warns other drivers, especially motorcyclists, to be mindful of their surroundings.
'You're going up against a truck, or a car, or a van. And, you're not going to survive,' says Boullester. 'So, if you're on a motorcycle, just be safe.'
Boullester also mentioned that accidents are nothing new around the area. He'd estimate there's about one a month, and they become increasingly dangerous in the summer.
He cited speeding and reckless driving. The latter of which, sadly, resulted in yesterday's deadly crash.