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Bohdan Vetrov

Age : 57

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 06/29/2023

Location : I-5

City : Lakewood

County : King

State : Washington

Agency : Lakewood Police Department

Officer(s) :Unknown

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 06/29/2023, Bohdan Vetrov, a 57 year old commercial truck driver and father of seven dependent children, was killed on Interstate 5 in Lakewood, Washington, after Lakewood police initiated and continued a vehicle pursuit that ended in a catastrophic collision with his semi truck.
According to reporting, Lakewood police were pursuing a passenger vehicle connected to an alleged robbery. Officers escalated the encounter into a high speed chase that entered Interstate 5 traffic. During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle struck Vetrov’s 18 wheeler with significant force. Vetrov was killed as a direct result of the crash.
The driver and occupants of the pursued vehicle survived. Bohdan Vetrov, who was not involved in any police action and was lawfully operating his commercial vehicle, died at the scene.
Public reporting indicates the pursuit was active at the time of the collision, raising questions about why the chase was initiated, why it was continued onto a major interstate, and whether the alleged underlying offense justified the level of risk imposed on the public.
The case has since escalated into major civil litigation. Lawsuits filed by Vetrov’s family allege that Lakewood police created an unreasonable danger by initiating and continuing the pursuit in violation of Washington State pursuit standards, departmental policy, and basic public safety principles. The family argues that officers failed to adequately weigh the severity of the alleged crime against the foreseeable risk to uninvolved motorists, including commercial drivers operating large vehicles with limited maneuverability.
The lawsuit further alleges that police had alternative options available, including delayed apprehension and investigative follow up, rather than immediate pursuit through active interstate traffic. The death of Bohdan Vetrov is cited as a foreseeable and preventable outcome of pursuit decisions made by Lakewood police that morning.
Vetrov was described by family as a working truck driver supporting seven children. His death removed the family’s primary provider and has had lasting financial and emotional consequences.
The incident has drawn broader scrutiny of police pursuit practices in Washington, particularly in cases involving nonviolent property crimes and the use of high speed chases on major highways.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/semi-driver-killed-in-lakewood-crash-during-police-chase-of-robbery-persons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIP8ws4BYkc