Northbound on I-5, 10:45 a.m. on 2-20-16
We’d had a long-standing (four months) appointment in Seattle yesterday and, as always in recent years, allowed five hours for the drive. (In the good old days when cars were slower and roads were rougher and freeways only had two lanes – and our bladders were younger – it was three-and-a-half from Oysterville to Capitol Hill.) Yesterday it took seven-and-a-half.
As usual, we made a pit stop in Montesano. It was 9:30. Little did we know that at just about that time there was a shoot-out going on a few miles up the way. Just like the damned Wild West. Had we known, we’d have cut over to Shelton and gone up ‘the back way.’ We probably would have had time.
As it was, our first indication of trouble was at Exit 118 when all three lanes of northbound traffic came to a dead stop. And then the inching along began. We were in the ‘fast lane’ but the only difference it made was that getting over to an exit was not possible. Plus, the off-ramps were also at a standstill.
Northbound on I-5, 11:58 a.m. on 2-20-16
I did what anyone riding shotgun (probably a poor word choice under the circumstances) would have done: I used my cell phone to go to FaceBook and ask if anyone knew what was going on. Nyel had found the WA-DOT radio site that was endlessly repeating “police activity at exit 122” where all northbound traffic was being funneled into the left lane.
My FB friends were Johnny-on-the-spot and immediately forwarded the late-breaking news from all manner of Seattle and Tacoma media sources. There had been a 100-mph car chase, first down, then up the freeway with a man shooting at the pursuing police. He was finally run off the road and, apparently in a stand-off with twelve officers, was shot and killed.
Homeward Bound, 5:58 p.m. on 2-20-16
I don’t know if our “fellow-travelers” – the dozens of trucks, cars, campers, clotting the freeway – knew any of that or not. Probably some did and some didn’t. All I can say is that people were amazingly patient and polite. We didn’t hear a single horn honk nor did we see anyone muscling themselves from one lane to another – not even when we got to the funneling point. Their behavior almost balanced out the horror of a shooter on the highway. Almost.
We got to my appointment two-and-a-half hours late and, though I had called from Exit 119, I had missed my opportunity. We turned around, drove homeward, and were back in Oysterville in four and a half hours. There is no place like home. Truly.
I know how you feel! One time when I was driving the RV back to the peninsula I got stuck in a 5 mile back up on I5! So glad you got home with your sanity in place!