Authorities say the Missouri man who died after being struck by a Honda on Interstate 5 early Saturday was being pursued by police.
A Washington State Patrol representative confirmed Monday that William B. Netz, 27, of Independence, Missouri, was the same man Kelso police wrote about in a Saturday press release involving a pursuit.
Just after midnight, an officer saw a gold 2005 Nissan Altima driving erratically, even swerving into the oncoming lane, according to Kelso police.
The officer tried to stop the car, suspecting the driver was under the influence of an intoxicant, but the Nissan continued north on North Kelso Avenue.
The Nissan stopped briefly near the I-5 onramp at milepost 40, then sped north on the freeway, and crashed when trying to pass a semi-truck on the left shoulder, the report continues.
A Washington State Patrol press memo says Netz was attempting to flee a previous accident when a Honda CR-V hit him as he tried to cross the southbound lanes at about 12:15 a.m., near milepost 42, south of the Lexington Bridge.
The Honda's driver was Paul F. Kearney, 43, of Gresham, Oregon, who was not injured in the crash.
The Kelso press release says that when an officer arrived at the scene, the officer saw a Nissan Altima unoccupied and located in the median of the freeway, between the northbound and southbound lanes, with Netz lying in the center lane.
Officers provided first aid, but Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue later pronounced Netz dead at the scene.
