Three two-car collisions on southbound I-405 through Kirkland on the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 3 resulted in a Bothell woman being severely injured and another driver being arrested.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Rick Johnson said that the woman was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A release from the WSP stated that she is 43 years old and was taken to EvergreenHealth hospital in Kirkland, but the specific nature of her condition was not disclosed.

The accident took place after a 46-year-old Seattle man driving a Mercedes was involved in two separate collisions in the area of 160th Street, near the Kirkland and Bothell boundary. He continued south on I-405 in the HOV lane before moving right into the general purpose lane and colliding with the Bothell woman’s Honda Element SUV. In all, investigators said they believe eight cars were involved in the incident.

The suspect’s car also hit the guardrail before coming to a rest, while the SUV came to a stop in the far left lane of the freeway.

The WSP investigators believe that the suspect was impaired by drugs or alcohol and he was speeding at the time of the accident.

The incident blocked I-405 for hours through parts of north Kirkland and up through Bothell.