Federal Way man dies in crash on U.S. 2; pregnant passenger injured

A Federal Way man died and four other people were taken to the hospital Saturday afternoon after a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 2 near Index in Snohomish County.

Courtesy of the Everett Herald:

A Federal Way man died and four other people were taken to the hospital Saturday afternoon after a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 2 near Index in Snohomish County.

The collision occurred around 4:15 p.m. Oct. 19 about one mile east of Index when a westbound car crossed the centerline and struck a Ford F-250 pickup truck, Washington State Patrol trooper Mark Francis said.

The accident tied up traffic for hours. The road was reopened at about 8:30 p.m.

The driver of the car, a four-door Mercedes, died at the scene. He has been identified as Denis E. Sokolik, 22. The car reportedly was being driven erratically before the collision, Francis said.

Sokolik’s passenger, a pregnant woman, was identified as 22-year-old Yaroslavl Chernyak of Federal Way and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, Francis said.

Three men in the pickup truck also were taken to hospitals.

The Wenatchee World reported the driver as East Wenatchee City Councilman Wayne Barnhart, 64, with passengers Michael Green, 70, and Bruce Bratrude, 54, also of East Wenatchee. According to the report, Barnhart was transported to Colby Providence Hospital in Everett with a broken leg, broken ribs and a bruised face. The other two passengers were in serious condition Sunday at Harborview Medical Center, according to the report.

The Everett Herald is a sister newspaper of the Federal Way Mirror.