NEAH BAY — A 19-year-old man died early Tuesday morning after losing control of his pickup truck on state Highway 112 just outside of Neah Bay.
Alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash that caused bodily harm to only the driver, the Washington State Patrol said.
Thomas Reamer Jr. was driving westbound with two passengers a few miles outside of Neah Bay shortly after 1 a.m. when the 1993 black Toyota truck’s tires left the roadway to the right at a sharp left curve.
Reamer overcorrected by steering the truck hard toward the left, but ended up crossing the road and striking an embankment before rolling over once onto the driver’s side, according to state Trooper Brian George.
Seat belts not worn
Neither Reamer nor his two passengers, Neal Ward, 16, or Jamal McGimpsey, 28, appeared to be wearing seat belts, the State Patrol said.
While McGimpsey and Neal were uninjured, Reamer was partially ejected out of the open driver’s window.
Makah Tribal Police from Neah Bay first responded to the crash scene, where they came across signs that alcohol could have played a factor in the crash.
“There were numerous alcohol containers strewn about the accident, both in the vehicle and outside,” George said.
Reamer’s two passengers were gone by the time police — followed by state troopers — arrived at state Highway 112 milepost 5.3, where the crash happened.
The location is between Sekiu and the boundary of the Makah reservation.
Ward and McGimpsey were found walking along the highway, George said, adding that as long as they weren’t driving the truck, the two weren’t required by law to remain at the crash scene.
“But besides the law, your buddy’s dead,” said George.
“It’s just an unfortunate circumstance.”