Driver plows into Tacoma tavern

A 26-year-old woman's reckless drive through Lakewood and Tacoma early Saturday morning ended when she smashed her vehicle into the back of a neighborhood tavern, Tacoma police said.

Firefighters cut the roof off the crumpled late-model Nissan Sentra to extricate the driver and her passenger, a 23-year-old woman, after the crash , Tacoma police Detective Bradley Graham said.

They suffered broken bones and were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver may be pregnant, Graham said.

No one was inside the Mountain Tavern, 5520 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, Graham said. Calls to the business were not answered Saturday.

The first report of trouble came shortly after 2 a.m. from a driver who was sideswiped on or near Interstate 5 at 112th Street South in Lakewood. The sideswipe victim followed the Nissan north on Interstate 5 for about five miles in an attempt to record a license-plate number, Graham said.

The driver lost the Nissan at the South 56th Street exit.

The Nissan took off east on 56th Street, traveling at "a significantly high rate of speed," Graham said.

About two miles later, the driver lost control and the Nissan spun out, crashing into the back of the tavern.

Graham said police arrested the driver on suspicion of vehicular assault. Police were still investigating other charges.

Benjamin J. Romano: bromano@seattletimes.com