Driver Forces Truck Off Road; Steals Bronco

The driver of a stolen van forced a pickup truck off Interstate 90 in a crash that killed the truck’s driver, then stole the vehicle of a motorist who stopped to help, authorities said.

The vehicular homicide occurred Tuesday afternoon in the eastbound lanes of I-90 near Easton, the Washington State Patrol said.

The State Patrol said a blue Dodge Caravan that had been reported stolen in Seattle at the University of Washington rear-ended the pickup truck and forced it onto the right side of the roadway. The truck struck several trees, with the crash killing the driver, Darrell Mervos, 43, of Cle Elum.

The van also left the road and landed on its side. When a passing motorist stopped to help and left his Ford Bronco unlocked and running, the van driver and a woman he was with took that vehicle and drove off eastbound on I-90.

Authorities were searching Thursday for the two and the blue Ford Bronco with Washington license plates 956 BZV.