WSP: Driver in deadly I-5 crash lied to troopers, arrested

Driver involved in fatal I-5 crash arrested after lying to troopers

The Washington State Patrol arrested a driver involved in a fatal I-5 crash after troopers determined she lied, saying her car was being driven by someone who didn't exist.

SEATTLE - A driver accused of being involved in a crash on I-5 that led to the death of a passenger has been arrested after she allegedly lied to troopers, claiming the driver of her vehicle was a person who didn't exist.

The crash, which happened around 4 a.m. on June 2, resulted in the death of a passenger who was riding with two other people in a Toyota Corolla, according to Washington State Patrol (WSP).

In the original report, WSP said the Toyota was driving down the ramp from the West Seattle Bridge to southbound I-5 when it went out of control and hit the barrier, stopping in one of the lanes.

The media release from June 5 claimed the group inside the Toyota got out, and a motorhome traveling down the freeway was unable to swerve out of the way, striking one of the passengers in the head with its side mirror.

Shortly after the crash, an AMR employee that was treating the injured passenger saw another car driving towards them. The employee and the Toyota passengers jumped out of the way as the car struck the AMR vehicle.

The AMR vehicle was pushed into the Toyota, trapping the injured passenger underneath it. The passenger died at the scene. The causing driver of that crash was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

According to WSP, the passengers of the Toyota said their driver had left the scene prior to troopers arriving. Troopers said they only knew the driver as "Tae" and had no idea where she went.

In reality, the driver of the Toyota was actually posing as a passenger, and "Tae" did not exist, WSP said in an update on Friday, June 14.

Detectives arrested 26-year-old Keoni Williams Thursday afternoon, identifying her as the actual driver of the Toyota. Troopers determined that there were only three occupants in the Tacoma by using video footage from a gas station near the collision scene.

Williams was arrested and booked into King County Jail for providing false statements to law enforcement and possible felony hit-and-run.

It's unknown if any other details from the original report were also made up by Williams or the other passenger of the Toyota.