A 15-year-old Auburn boy was critically injured early Tuesday, Nov. 3, when an SUV struck him on the southbound I-5 exit to SR 516 in the Kent area (map below), according to the Washington State Patrol.

The collision happened about 2:36 a.m.

The boy was taken to Harborview Medical Center, and the roadway was blocked for three hours and 19 minutes, according to the patrol’s report.

“At this point we are unsure why the pedestrian was in the roadway and yes, the driver stayed at the scene and showed no signs of impairment,” State Patrol spokesperson Rick Johnson said.

The driver, a 42-year-old Kent man, was not injured. The report identifies him as the initial caller.

According to the State Patrol, the collision unfolded as follows:

A 2025 Toyota RAV4 was traveling on the southbound I-5 exit to SR 516 in lane two of two.
The boy was standing in the same lane.
The SUV struck him in lane two.
The SUV stopped in lane two, while the boy came to rest in lane one.

The State Patrol listed “pedestrian in roadway” as the cause of the collision and reported no involvement of drugs or alcohol.

The boy is in critical condition, based on the latest information.