A Bremerton man was airlifted to Tacoma General Hospital from Silverdale on Monday morning after his van rolled over and struck multiple trees and a boulder on state Highway 19 near its intersection with Highway 20 in Jefferson County.
Joseph A. Johnson, 31, of Bremerton was driving a 2017 Hyundai Tucson northbound on Highway 19 approaching Highway 20 about 1:15 a.m. Monday, according to a collision memo from the State Patrol.
The Hyundai continued onto eastbound Highway 20 when the driver failed to negotiate a turn and left the roadway to the left, the memo stated.
After striking multiple trees and a boulder, the van came to rest on the passenger side. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but drugs or alcohol were believed to be involved and Johnson was arrested for DUI, according to the State Patrol.
He was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the collision memo.
Johnson was taken to St. Michael’s Medical Center in Silverdale before he was airlifted to one of three hospitals in Tacoma operated by Virginia Mason Franciscan.
A spokeswoman for the organization said she couldn’t reveal which of the three hospitals he was at within the system.
The van was impounded as part of the arrest, the State Patrol said.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@soundpublishing.com.
