Two Motorcyclists Seriously Injured in Spanaway, Pierce County Crash

Washington law makes reckless driving a misdemeanor under RCW 46.61.500, defined as driving a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Investigators say preliminary findings point to reckless driving by the motorcyclist before the crash in Spanaway. A citation or conviction for reckless driving can be important evidence of negligence in a related personal injury claim. Washington law enforcement agencies routinely cite this statute when investigating serious-injury collisions like this one.

Washington follows a pure comparative fault rule under RCW 4.22.005, meaning an injured person can still recover damages even if they were partly responsible for a crash, with their compensation reduced by their percentage of fault. This matters in a collision like this one, where investigators are still determining how much fault lies with the motorcyclist, the van driver, or other factors. Comparative fault rules allow injured parties, including the motorcycle’s passenger, to pursue compensation while liability is still being sorted out. No fault has been officially assigned as the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit continues its investigation.