Cyclist Struck on I-5 Shoulder Near Milepost 247 in Washington State – Incident Report Released

A 50-year-old bicyclist from Bellingham was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle on the shoulder of northbound Interstate 5 near milepost 247 on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

The incident occurred just after 11:00 a.m. When the cyclist was riding on the shoulder of the freeway south of Bellingham. According to the Washington State Patrol, the crash involved two vehicles: a 2005 KIA sedan driven by a 23-year-old woman from Blaine in the left lane and a 2009 Honda Fit hatchback driven by an 18-year-old woman from Sedro-Woolley in the right lane.

Trooper Kelsey Harding of the Washington State Patrol stated that the Honda merged into the left lane and was struck by the KIA. The impact caused the Honda to rotate, strike a guardrail, and then hit the bicyclist who was traveling northbound on the right shoulder. Both vehicles came to rest in the right lane, while the cyclist was found off the roadway to the right.

An Airlift Northwest helicopter was dispatched to the scene at approximately 11:25 a.m. And landed on the closed northbound lanes of I-5. The cyclist was flown to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Two other individuals involved in the crash were assessed and released at the scene by medics.

All northbound lanes of I-5 were closed following the collision, with traffic diverted off at N Lake Samish Road (exit 246). The Washington State Department of Transportation reported that one lane was reopened through the crash scene by 12:25 p.m. Both vehicles involved were towed and impounded, and the drivers, who were wearing seatbelts, were the only occupants in their respective cars.

Washington State Patrol officials confirmed that it remains unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. A press memo detailing the incident was released by the patrol around 6:45 a.m. On April 22, 2026.