A Pierce County woman confessed to causing a devastating head-on crash after investigators said she spent hours smoking and injecting methamphetamine before slamming into another car, leaving a Spanaway man with a catastrophic brain injury.
Kaitlyn Carl pleaded guilty in April to multiple charges connected to the Jan. 7 crash, including vehicular assault-DUI and reckless driving. According to investigators, Carl was driving a black Ford F-150 eastbound on 176th Street East when the truck crossed over a raised median and entered oncoming traffic before crashing into a Toyota Camry and a Polestar.
The driver of the Camry, identified in court documents as Jaecob Hageman, suffered massive head trauma and was rushed to Tacoma General Hospital in critical condition. Witnesses told deputies he was unresponsive and trapped inside the destroyed vehicle after the collision.
A nurse who witnessed the crash told investigators Carl’s truck appeared to be traveling “at a high rate of speed” before crossing the median and striking the Camry.
Dash camera footage recovered from Hageman’s vehicle allegedly captured the final moments before impact. Investigators said the video showed Hageman traveling westbound when Carl’s truck crossed directly into his lane. Deputies said Hageman attempted to swerve away before the vehicles collided.
Deputies described the crash scene as catastrophic.
“The Toyota had extensive damage to the front of the vehicle, mainly focused on the driver’s side,” investigators wrote in the affidavit.
Witnesses also reported seeing a man pull Carl from the truck before grabbing a bag from the vehicle and fleeing the scene on foot.
According to investigators, deputies later found Carl’s purse near the wreckage containing numerous bank and credit cards belonging to other people, along with a hypodermic needle.
Investigators alleged Carl later admitted she and a man had spent the night stealing mail in an attempt to find checks to cash before the crash occurred.
Deputies also alleged Carl admitted to smoking and injecting methamphetamine for hours before the collision.
“Kaitlyne also said she had been up for about a day and a half after being on meth and was sleepy,” the responding deputy wrote. “She told me she sometimes fell asleep at the wheel or would just start to nod off.”
Investigators said Carl initially claimed she was sitting in the passenger seat during the collision, but surveillance footage from a nearby Arco gas station allegedly showed her driving shortly before the crash.
In the months since the collision, Jaecob’s family says his life has been permanently altered.
A GoFundMe created on the family’s behalf says Jaecob suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and remains dependent on a tracheostomy tube to breathe. According to the fundraiser, he requires 24/7 medical care and is expected to need lifelong support.
“Despite everything, Jaecob has made huge progress — relearning how to communicate, move, and fight every single day,” the fundraiser states.
The fundraiser says Jaecob was transferred to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, a nationally known rehabilitation hospital specializing in brain and spinal cord injuries.
The family says donations are helping cover intensive therapy, medical equipment, travel costs, housing near the hospital, and long-term care expenses.
“Jaecob is a fighter with an incredible spirit,” the fundraiser states. “He has so much life left to live, and we refuse to let this tragedy define his future.”
After the crash, Carl also drew attention online after posting about her own injuries on social media.
“Two broken legs, broken back, broken jaw x3 and still bouta be discharged,” Carl wrote in a post referenced by the family. “Wheelchair and all mfuckers. No more truck, but i took it like a champ.”
Court records show prosecutors initially warned the victim’s injuries were so severe that additional charges, including vehicular homicide, could be considered if Jaecob died.
Carl’s sentencing is scheduled for Friday, May 29.
Those interested in supporting the family can donate via GoFundMe here.
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