Tacoma woman dies, two injured after getting rear-ended near Federal Way

A Tacoma woman died and two people were injured early Saturday morning after a minivan rear-ended their car on Interstate 5 near Federal Way.

Samantha Mararac, 26, died at the wreck, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol. The wreck occurred about 1:45 a.m. Mararac was a passenger and the other two people injured were the driver and another passenger in the same car.

A 2012 Ford F-150 was disabled and blocking a southbound lane of Interstate 5. A 2012 Chrysler 300 and a 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle — the vehicle Mararac was in — stopped behind the pickup truck to get around it.

Shortly after, a man driving a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan rear-ended the Beetle. The Beetle came to a stop on the same lane and the sedan, also on the same lane, came to a stop facing the “wrong way,” according to the press release. The minivan continued moving south, striking the sedan and finally resting in another lane.

The 43-year-old man driving the van was cited on suspicion of driving under the influence and vehicular homicide, according to the press release. All drivers and passengers involved had their seatbelts on.