Executive Summary
- Incident Timeline: Emergency crews responded at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday to reports of a vehicle in the water.
- Circumstances: Authorities report the driver bypassed road closure signs before entering deep floodwaters on Marsh Road.
- Rescue Operation: Fire Rescue Swimmers retrieved the driver from a vehicle submerged in six feet of water.
- Outcome: The sole occupant, a 33-year-old man, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A 33-year-old man was pronounced deceased early Tuesday morning after driving a vehicle past posted road closure signs and into deep floodwaters in Snohomish County, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. near the 6600 block of Marsh Road. Snohomish County Sheriff deputies and fire personnel responded to emergency reports of a vehicle submerged in water. Investigators state that the driver had reportedly bypassed road closure signage at the intersection of Lowell Larimer Road and Marsh Road before proceeding northbound into a flooded section of the roadway.
Upon arrival at the scene, deputies located the vehicle in a lower farmland area that had effectively become a ditch containing approximately six feet of water. Fire Rescue Swimmers entered the water to extract the driver from the completely submerged vehicle. Despite the administration of lifesaving measures, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities confirmed that no other occupants were inside the vehicle. The identity of the decedent, believed to be a 33-year-old man, along with the official cause and manner of death, will be determined by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Investigative Outlook & Public Safety
The incident remains under active investigation by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. While investigators noted it is currently unknown whether drugs or alcohol were contributing factors, the event underscores the severe risks associated with ignoring infrastructure warnings during weather emergencies. This fatality occurred amidst the aftermath of record flooding in the region, which has prompted the Snohomish County Health Department to issue broader warnings regarding the physical safety hazards posed by standing floodwaters.
