PRESS RELEASE
A24-14423 – TOUTLE DEATH INVESTIGATION
JULY 18, 2024

At about 0333 hours of July 17, 2024, Cowlitz 911 received a report of a fire in the 700
block of Sightly Rd in Toutle, Washington.  Firefighters with Cowlitz County Fire
District 3 responded to the scene and found multiple vehicles on fire.  After firefighters
put out the fire, they discovered a deceased subject inside one of the vehicles.  The
Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office responded to conduct a death investigation with
assistance from the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office and Cowlitz County District 2 Fire
Investigators.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office were able to determine that the occupied vehicle, a
truck, had been parked uphill from other vehicles.  The truck appeared to have rolled
downhill and then collided with other parked vehicles.  A fire is believed to have started
near the engine compartment, heavily damaging multiple vehicles.

Detectives have presumptively identified the deceased subject but are awaiting formal
identification protocol from the Coroner’s Office.  An autopsy has been conducted by the
Coroner’s Office.  The autopsy report and toxicology results are pending.

There are no further details available for release at this time.