A Motorist Struck and Killed a Washington State Patrol Trooper Early This Morning

A motorist struck and killed a Washington State Patrol trooper early this morning.

The trooper has been identified as Christopher M. Gadd, a 27-year-old father who leaves behind his wife and 2-year old daughter. Gadd was on patrol looking for drunk drivers and was hit while sitting on the shoulder of I-5 in his patrol SUV.

The incident happened at 3am on Southbound I-5 at 136th St N (Milepost 203), approximately one mile north of Marysville. A 32-year old Lynnwood man has been arrested for vehicular homicide.

This is the 33rd State Patrol trooper killed in the line-of-duty. The 32nd trooper died in September 2021 of Covid (contracted during training), and the 31st was also struck by a vehicle when placing down spike strips in Chehalis, WA.

The Washington State Patrol released this statement:

With the heaviest of hearts, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) confirms the
line-of-duty loss of one of our agency’s troopers this morning.

Our trooper was tragically killed when struck by a motorist just before 3 a.m. today on southbound Interstate 5 near 136th Street North (milepost 203) in Marysville.

There is a heavy law enforcement and first-responder presence at the scene, which will continue for many hours. All southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in the area of the scene remain closed at this time as the investigation continues. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes until the scene is cleared.

WSP Chief John R. Batiste and other WSP command staff will provide additional details and remarks at the WSP Marysville Headquarters Office located at 2700 116th Street Northeast later today. The time for the press conference will be announced through a subsequent media alert and on our social media platforms.

This marks the 33rd line of duty death for the WSP. We mourn the loss of all the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our state and to public safety. Today, we hold a special place in our hearts for the families and colleagues of our fallen this morning.

4:55pm update: This story was updated to add the Trooper’s name and information about the arrest after the press briefing this afternoon.