The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deadly two-vehicle crash that took place Sunday night.
Two people died in the accident; the remaining occupants of the involved vehicles have been admitted to area hospitals, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
According to the release, the deceased are Nicholas Allen Mauldin, 32, of Port Orchard; and Jurelle B. Thorpe, 21, of Moses Lake.
Mauldin was the driver of a 2003 Infinity G-35; Thorpe was a passenger in a 2001 Nissan Maxima. Mauldin was initially thought to be a passenger in the Infinity, but after further investigation, investigators determined he was the driver, according to the release.
Mauldin’s passengers — a 29-year-old man from Port Orchard, and a 34-year-old woman from Bremerton — were both transferred to Harborview Medical Center with critical injuries, according to the release.
The Maxima was driven by a 23-year-old South Kitsap woman, who was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton with critical injuries, the release states. In addition to Thorpe, her passengers included her infant daughter, 9 months old, who was transported to Harrison for evaluation and observation; and an 18-year-old South Kitsap woman who was transferred to Harborview with critical injuries.
The press release gives the following account of what happened, but notes that the investigation is “still in its early stages.”
The Infinity was traveling southbound on Sidney Road Southwest, and the Maxima was heading northbound.
Sidney Road is a tertiary, two-lane, semi-rural roadway located on the west side of, and parallel to, Highway 16.
Near the intersection with Southwest Logan Road, the Infinity crossed the center line into the northbound lane and struck the Maxima head-on.
The force of the collision caused the Infinity to leave the roadway and continue over the east shoulder and down an embankment. It came to stop after traveling approximately 75 feet and caught fire.
All occupants of the Infinity were removed from the vehicle before it became fully engulfed in flames.
The collision force stopped the forward momentum of the Maxima and pushed it backward. It came to stop on the west shoulder of the road.
It’s unknown if either driver was impaired, and whether that may have played a role in the crash, the release states.
Investigators are working to determine how fast the vehicles were traveling at the time of the collision.
The county’s forensic pathologist will conduct an autopsy of Mauldin and Thorpe, the release states. The county coroner will make a determination of the cause and manner of death.
Once the investigation is complete, the entire case file will be sent to the prosecuting attorney for review.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Deputy Steve Martin at 360-337-4634. Reference Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office case report K16-000082.
The Kitsap Scene is an online news magazine covering everything in Kitsap County.
