BRINNON — An Olympia man died when the pickup truck he was driving on U.S. Highway 101 south of Brinnon left the roadway, swerved across the highway and struck a tree.
James Allen Keith, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene after the 11:30 p.m. Thursday wreck, the State Patrol said, which added that he was not wearing a seat belt.
He was headed south on Highway 101 in a 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck near the intersection with Pleasant Harbor Road when the truck went into a roadside ditch, the State Patrol said.
He swerved to the right to come out of it; his truck crossed the center line, went over an embankment on the northbound side and struck a tree, troopers said.
The pickup was destroyed.
Highway 101 was blocked for just more than four hours while troopers investigated the wreck.
The State Patrol continues to investigate why Keith’s truck left the road.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.