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Truck drives through church sanctuary in Port Angeles

Published 1:05 pm Wednesday, May 6, 2026

By Kelley Lane

A pickup truck came to rest inside the sanctuary of Strait View Baptist Church after veering off West Eighth Street in Port Angeles. (Caressa Fennell)
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A pickup truck came to rest inside the sanctuary of Strait View Baptist Church after veering off West Eighth Street in Port Angeles. (Caressa Fennell)

A pickup truck came to rest inside the sanctuary of Strait View Baptist Church after veering off West Eighth Street in Port Angeles. (Caressa Fennell)
Port Angeles Fire Department personnel assist at Strait View Baptist Church, where a pickup truck drove through the sanctuary Tuesday evening. (Caressa Fennell)

PORT ANGELES — One person was transported to Olympic Medical Center after the driver of a pickup truck drove through the side of Strait View Baptist Church, 518 W. Eighth St. in Port Angeles.

The truck was traveling east on Eighth Street just a few minutes before 6 p.m. Tuesday when it left the roadway and continued on the sidewalk for about half a block, according to the Port Angeles Fire Department. It drove completely into the church building and partially emerged from the other side.

PAFD provided medical assistance to the driver before they were taken to OMC, the fire department said. PAFD then helped with the removal of the vehicle by cutting into a wall and assisting a tow truck to recover the pickup.

Caressa Fennell, the wife of Strait View Baptist’s Pastor Scott Fennell, said a group was inside the church working on a project but were in a Sunday School room at the back of the sanctuary at the time of the collision. She said the children of people working on the project normally like to hang out near the piano in the sanctuary, but no one was in the room when the truck hit.

“You know, we’re always meandering in the front of the church — but not (Tuesday) night,” Fennell said. “Truly amazing.”

She said damage to the church is extensive. The Fennells were not at the church when the incident occurred, but they arrived about 15 minutes later.

“The truck took out everything in front,” Fennell explained. “The pulpit, the first row of chairs, the grand piano, a 100-year-old xylophone and chimes.”

Church members have boarded up the damaged outside walls and were assessing what to do next on Wednesday, Fennell said.

“One of our most important concerns is where to meet during the time our church is being mended,” she said.

Fennell added that the community response in such a short time has been great.

“[We’ve] had numerous offers of everything from meeting places to volunteer cleanup crews,” she said. “Our hearts are full with the response of love and care.”

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