WSP: Good Samaritan killed, two injured helping stranded drivers

ARLINGTON, Wash. – The Washington State Patrol is urging people to be careful when helping stranded motorists, after two separate accidents on Snohomish County highways left one good Samaritan dead and two others injured.

The Seattle Times reported that the accidents happened with a span of about 20 minutes Saturday evening.

Washington State Patrol Sgt. Mark Francis said the first involved 46-year-old Trina Morgan, of Darrington, who was killed on Highway 530. Morgan had stopped to help a disabled car, and as she was helping a 9-year-old girl another car struck them both. Morgan was killed but the girl suffered only minor injuries.

In a second accident, 29-year-old Kyle Digges, of Lynnwood, and 32-year-old Jessica Bart-Greenough, of Mountlake Terrace, stopped to help after they saw a truck lose a wheel on state Route 2 near Snohomish. Another car hit the disabled truck, pushing it into the pedestrians. Both were hospitalized.

Francis said that if possible, people should use safety devices such as road flares when stopping to help.