Shane Ashlock Obituary, Death – The Pierce County Medical Examiner has identified a motorcyclist who died in a crash near an Interstate 5 interchange in Tacoma. The victim, Shane Ashlock, 51, of Tacoma, succumbed to multiple blunt-force injuries sustained in the accident. The Medical Examiner determined that the death was accidental.
According to a press release from the Washington State Patrol, the collision occurred around 5:15 p.m. on August 5. Ashlock lost control of his motorcycle and struck a barrier located on the right shoulder of the southbound ramp from Interstate 705. This particular section is just before the roadway splits into two separate ramps—one leading to the state Route 7 extension and the other to northbound Interstate 5.
Following the impact, the motorcycle came to rest between the right lane and the right shoulder of the ramp. The crash caused significant traffic disruptions, resulting in the closure of the two right lanes for nearly two hours and forty minutes as emergency responders worked at the scene.
Investigators continue to review the circumstances surrounding the crash, but no further details have been released. The community mourns the loss of Shane Ashlock, and authorities remind all motorists to exercise caution while traveling on busy highway ramps and interchanges to help prevent similar tragedies.
