Snohomish teen killed in Highway 2 crash; 4 injured

A 17-year-old Snohomish boy was killed and four people were injured in a head-on collision on Highway 2 this afternoon, according to the State Patrol.

The State Patrol has reopened all lanes of the highway between Gold Bar and Index where the collision occurred. Until about 7 p.m. one lane had been closed, trooper Kirk Rudeen said.

The collision happened at about 2:30 p.m. this afternoon when a westbound Jeep Cherokee with three 17-year-old teens inside, two boys and one girl, crossed the center line and hit a pickup truck head-on, Rudeen said.

One of the 17-year-old boys was killed, the teen girl was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center and the driver of the Jeep was transported to a hospital in Everett, Rudeen said.

The teens were returning from a ski trip to Stevens Pass, he said.

The 61-year-old driver of the pickup truck and his 52-year-old wife, both from Mount Vernon, were both injured and transported to a hospital in Monroe, Rudeen said.

Troopers aren't sure what cause the Jeep to cross the center line, Rudeen said.

"At this point alcohol or drugs are not a factor. Speed does not appear to have been a factor," he said.

Trooper closed both lanes of the highway for about an hour and a half following the collision, but opened one lane at about 4 p.m.

The name of the deceased teen has not been released, pending the notification of his family.

Brian Alexander: 206-464-2026 or balexander@seattletimes.com