A Winlock man is facing charges of driving under the influence and vehicular assault after a bad crash Sunday evening that closed southbound I-5 for hours in Thurston County.
The Washington State Patrol says troopers responded just after 9:40 p.m. Sunday to a three-vehicle collision near milepost 96 at Maytown. They say 32-year-old Bryan Watterson of Winlock was driving a 2019 Toyota RAV4 in the center lane when he rear-ended a 2000 Jeep Cherokee driven by 38-year-old Michael Tolman of Puyallup. The Jeep then swerved into the right lane and hit a semi-truck driven by 37-year-old Oscar Ortiz of Burien.
Watterson, his passenger—a 31-year-old Winlock woman—and Ortiz were not injured. Tolman, however, was taken to the hospital and was not wearing a seatbelt.
Tolman and Watterson are both suspected of driving under the influence. Watterson, however, is the only one charged with vehicular assault.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.







