A 16-year-old boy was killed late Friday night in Federal Way after a two-vehicle collision sent one of the cars off the roadway and onto a sidewalk where he was standing, police said.
Federal Way Police Department officers responded at approximately 10:48 p.m. Friday to the 30400 block of Pacific Highway South following reports of a fatal crash involving a pedestrian. Family and friends identified the victim to reporters as Deejay Tuiasosopo, a junior at Federal Way High School and a football player for the Eagles.
According to a preliminary investigation, two vehicles collided at the intersection of Pacific Highway and South 304th Street. The impact forced one of the vehicles off the road and onto the sidewalk, striking Tuiasosopo. Police and fire personnel arrived to provide medical aid, but the teen died at the scene. Both drivers remained at the location, and officers arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of driving under the influence, charging him with vehicular homicide. The department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is continuing to examine the incident.
Family members confirmed that Tuiasosopo belongs to a well-known Pacific Northwest sports family with deep ties to regional athletics and professional sports. His great-uncle Manu Tuiasosopo was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1979 before winning a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980s. Manu’s children also pursued major athletic careers: Marques Tuiasosopo starred as a quarterback for the University of Washington before entering the NFL with the Oakland Raiders in 2001; Zach Tuiasosopo played fullback for the Huskies and held NFL tryouts; Matt Tuiasosopo played Major League Baseball, including a stint with the Seattle Mariners, and later became a third base coach for the Atlanta Braves; and Leslie Gabriel serves as the head coach of the University of Washington women’s volleyball team after an accomplished playing career as a standout blocker for the Huskies.
Community members and teammates gathered Saturday afternoon at a makeshift memorial along the fence of a gas station lot near the crash site, placing candles, flowers, posters, and balloons bearing Tuiasosopo’s football jersey number, 56. Two of Tuiasosopo’s uncles told reporters they arrived at the scene Friday night and spent the following morning struggling to process the tragedy.
By Saturday nightfall, the gathering grew to more than 150 people who lit paper lanterns and released them into the sky. Friends and teammates remembered Tuiasosopo as a quiet, humble, and hardworking student who was dedicated to his athletics.
Teammate David Rodriguez, who grew up with Tuiasosopo since the sixth grade, said his friend harbored ambitions of winning a state title during his first season with the Federal Way squad, having recently transferred to the school. The fatal crash occurred hours after the Eagles secured a close victory on their senior night.
Rodriguez recalled his friend’s constant laughter and positive disposition. Relatives and classmates continue to mourn the sudden loss as investigators proceed with the vehicular homicide case.
