Crime & Safety
Teen Killed in Freeway Accident Identified: Cause of Death Under Investigation
Lukas Defiesta, 16, of Bothell, died Saturday, Aug. 17, after a fall from the 160th Street overpass over I-405 and being struck by multiple vehicles. Authorities say it's not yet clear whether the death was accidental.
This story was written by Jeanne Gustafson.
The reason for the death of a Bothell teen on Interstate 405 early Saturday morning was not yet clear as of Monday, Aug. 19, the Washington State Patrol said.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified a 16-year-old Bothell teen who died on Interstate 405 Saturday morning as Lukas Defiesta, 16, of Bothell.
WSP received a call about the incident about 4:40 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, and the northbound lanes of I-405 were subsequently closed for hours during an investigation of the death of a 16-year-old Bothell man.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Webb said it is not known if the teen fell or possibly jumped from the 160th Street overpass over I-405, and as several cars apparently hit the young man on the freeway, determining the cause of death has been difficult.
Webb said one vehicle that struck the body returned to the scene, and another driver called the Washington State Patrol, believing they may also have hit the boy's body.
The cause of Defiespa's death is still under examination, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.
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