South Sound family wants answers after fatal crash kills woman in Yelm

A South Sound family is calling for answers in a deadly crash in Yelm over the weekend.

Destiney Fortin, 27, was killed when she crashed on Bridge Road just after 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

The sisters of Fortin believe she was run off the road, but investigators say they are still not sure what led to the deadly crash.

Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies say three cars were involved.  Two of the cars collided with each other and a third car fled the scene. They tell KIRO 7 all three drivers knew each other.

“Three people in the three different vehicles all knew each other, or at least acquaintances with each other. And were all leaving the same location,” said Lieutenant Mike Brooks.

Fortin’s family is heartbroken.

“I answered the phone and I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ The other line just said she’s not here, she’s not with us anymore,” said Mistyann Parker, the sister of Fortin.

It was the hardest phone call of Parker’s life, finding out her baby sister, Destiney, had died in a crash.

“I wasn’t prepared to tell my mom my sister wasn’t with us anymore. I wasn’t prepared to call my family, I wasn’t prepared to not have the happy birthday song sang to her,” Parker said.

Fortin was killed in a multi-car crash on her 27th birthday. Balloons surround a memorial that is now celebrating a life that ended way too soon.

“It feels like we were robbed of her life. It feels unreal,” she said.

At first, deputies were investigating the crash as a possible road rage incident. However, investigators say they have not seen any evidence of an intentional act.

“It really shows it to be more of a collision between vehicles. There was no intent by anybody that we can tell, to cause harm or damage or to intentionally ram another vehicle,” Lieutenant Brooks said.

Investigators say this is being looked at as an unfortunate accident, but Fortin’s family is not convinced.

“Destiney went to leave and she got in the car and never came back. And yeah there was an altercation that hasn’t been exactly said that she completely ran her off the road but you’re not going to just go off the road for no reason either,” said Parker.

Investigators are talking to the driver of the car who fled the scene, but say she is not a suspect at this time.

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