Husband and wife killed in single-car accident on I-90 near North Bend

A Tacoma man and his wife were killed Tuesday morning after the man fell asleep while driving, allowing his car to crash into a guardrail and bridge railing on Interstate 90 near North Bend.

The couple, who were traveling with their 4-year-old son and two other people, a 15-year-boy and a 20-year-old man, were returning home from a camping trip in Eastern Washington, according to the State Patrol.

The accident occurred about 6:45 a.m., when the driver, Sean P. Mitchell, fell asleep, and the car crossed over the rumble strips to the left of the highway and crashed into the guardrail and bridge railing without slowing down, the State Patrol said.

The impact instantly killed the Mitchell, 29, and his wife, Lindsey M. Mitchell, 26, who was in a back seat behind her husband, the State Patrol said.

The 15-year-old boy sustained moderate leg and internal injuries, while the 4-year-old boy and the other man, who was in the front passenger seat, sustained minor injuries. The younger boy was in a child seat, and the other two survivors were wearing seat belts, the State Patrol said.

All three were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The State Patrol advises that drowsy drivers pull over and either let a passenger drive or take a 15- to 20-minute nap and drink the equivalent of two cups of coffee before getting back behind the wheel.

To avoid drowsiness while driving, the Patrol says it's best to get sufficient sleep the night before, limit driving between midnight and 6 a.m. and avoiding consuming even small amounts of alcohol while drowsy. Other common methods for preventing drowsiness while driving, such as turning on the radio or opening a window, have not been proved effective, the State Patrol said.

Jill Kimball: 206-464-2136 or jkimball@seattletimes.com