Chain reaction crash injures 2, snarls traffic near the Hood Canal Bridge

HOOD CANAL BRIDGE — Two people were seriously injured and traffic was backed up on Highway 104 for hours on Wednesday after a driver failed to stop for traffic during a Hood Canal Bridge closure and caused a chain-reaction crash.

The Washington State Patrol was dispatched to the highway, about one mile west of the bridge, at about 9:50 a.m. Investigators found a 39-year-old Seattle man failed to stop his vehicle for cars headed eastbound that were stalled while the bridge was closed. He slammed into the car in front of him, driven by a 71-year-old man from Kodiak, Alaska. Four more cars endured damage from the initial chain reaction, troopers said. 

The 39-year-old and 71-year-old were taken to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries. No one else was reported injured. Poulsbo Fire Department crews were among those who responded to the crash. 

Troopers said the 39-year-old was following too closely and will forward charges of negligent driving to prosecutors. Drugs and alcohol weren't a factor in the crash and all involved were wearing seat belts. 

Traffic was impacted for almost five hours while troopers investigated.