A Washington state mother is accused of deliberately crashing her SUV on a busy interstate with her two daughters inside, stabbing her youngest child and then chasing her terrified teenage daughter with a knife while threatening to kill her.
The horrifying incident unfolded Monday, October 5, along Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington, where two U.S. Army soldiers happened upon the wreckage and rushed into action.
Police say the soldiers managed to wrestle the knife away from 35-year-old Janieka Ellington before restraining her on the ground, potentially preventing an even greater tragedy.
Both daughters, ages 10 and 15, survived the ordeal but suffered injuries, including stab wounds and injuries sustained during the violent crash.
The disturbing allegations have led to four counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of vehicular assault and one count of felony harassment against Ellington.
But perhaps the most chilling details came directly from the children, who told investigators their mother had awakened them during the night with frightening claims that people were following their family.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Pierce County Superior Court, Ellington woke her daughters and insisted they needed to leave their home immediately.
She allegedly believed unidentified people were pursuing them and repeatedly warned the girls that their lives were in danger.
During the drive, the situation became increasingly terrifying.
The children told detectives their mother began making threats, declaring that she would kill them before the people she believed were following them could do so.
One daughter reportedly told investigators she never saw anyone following their vehicle and believed her mother was experiencing a delusional episode.
The frightening journey continued into Monday morning as Ellington drove a gray Volkswagen Tiguan along southbound Interstate 5.
Witnesses reported seeing the SUV swerving erratically through traffic shortly before 9 a.m.
According to investigators, the vehicle struck a semitruck and concrete barriers before overturning near mile marker 118.
Prosecutors allege the crash was intentional.
Inside the wrecked SUV, the situation became even more dangerous.
Court documents say Ellington pulled out a knife and attacked her youngest daughter while the child was still trapped inside the damaged vehicle.
The 10-year-old later told investigators that her mother had declared they were all going to die before crashing the SUV.
The little girl also recalled her mother attempting to kill her and her older sister.
After the collision, the 15-year-old managed to escape from the vehicle.
But investigators say Ellington followed her out while carrying the knife.
According to the affidavit, the mother began chasing her teenage daughter while shouting threats.
“I’m going to kill you!” she allegedly screamed.
The older girl was already injured from the crash, making her attempt to escape even more frightening.
That was when several people traveling along the interstate realized the situation was far more serious than an ordinary traffic accident.
Among them were two soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Army Sgt. Ricardo A. Nunez, assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, and Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower, a practical nursing specialist instructor, stopped to help.
What initially appeared to be a serious rollover crash quickly turned into an emergency involving a woman armed with a knife and two injured children.
The soldiers immediately moved to intervene.
According to court documents, Hytower helped control Ellington’s knife-wielding arm while Nunez assisted in disarming her.
The men managed to remove the weapon and force her to the ground.
Nunez held Ellington down until Washington State Patrol troopers arrived.
When officers reached the scene, they found the soldier restraining the mother while Hytower stood nearby.
“This lady was trying to stab the other girl when I got her,” Nunez told responding officers, according to the affidavit.
“We took the knife away from her,” he added.
Another service member, Washington National Guard Sgt. Alexis McKay, a combat medic, was also at the scene and helped protect the injured teenager.
McKay later described the struggle to KOMO News, explaining that Hytower managed to hold Ellington’s arm in place with assistance from the 15-year-old girl.
The teenager was reportedly trying to keep the knife away from her stomach as the soldiers worked to disarm her mother.
Once the weapon was removed, McKay helped move the girl away from the confrontation.
The soldiers’ quick actions have since drawn praise from witnesses and military officials.
In a statement about the incident, Hytower explained that he acted instinctively when he realized the children were in immediate danger.
“I just jumped up, it was just instinct,” he said. “That’s when training kicks in.”
Nunez also downplayed his role, saying he was simply grateful to have been in the right place at the right time to help the girls.
Other motorists who witnessed the intervention described the soldiers’ willingness to step into a dangerous situation without hesitation.
As emergency crews began treating the children, investigators discovered the extent of their injuries.
The 15-year-old suffered bruising to her right cheek, a fractured tibia, a stab wound to her upper right thigh, cuts to her ankle and abrasions across her back.
Her younger sister sustained an injured right ankle, a cut to her left hand, bruising near her temple and severe back pain.
Both girls were transported to hospitals for treatment.
Authorities have not reported any deaths connected to the incident.
The investigation also revealed troubling information about Ellington’s condition before the crash.
According to court records, officers detected the smell of alcohol when they encountered her.
Ellington was taken to a hospital, where she reportedly admitted drinking whiskey straight from the bottle the previous evening.
She allegedly told investigators that her last drink occurred sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight.
She also acknowledged that she had not slept before driving her daughters along the interstate.
Authorities have not publicly established whether alcohol, a medical condition or another factor caused her alleged behavior.
However, prosecutors expressed serious concerns about the combination of the reported drinking, threats against the children and dangerous driving.
In court documents, the prosecution argued that Ellington appeared determined to kill her daughters through multiple methods.
They alleged that after the vehicle crash failed to kill the children, she continued the attack with a knife.
The prosecution described the case as presenting an extraordinary danger not only to the children but also to other motorists traveling along the busy interstate.
Investigators also emphasized the allegations that Ellington had used her position as the children’s mother to place them in danger.
According to charging documents, the attempted murder counts reflect two alleged methods of attack: the deliberate vehicle collision and the knife assaults.
Two counts involve accusations that Ellington attempted to kill her daughters by crashing the SUV, while the other two concern the alleged stabbing attacks.
The vehicular assault charges address injuries connected to the crash, and the felony harassment count concerns the alleged threats to kill.
During an initial court appearance, a judge ordered Ellington to remain in custody without bail pending a mental competency evaluation.
The evaluation will determine whether she is legally capable of understanding the proceedings and assisting in her defense.
That determination is separate from whether she was experiencing a mental health crisis when the incident occurred.
Her next hearing is scheduled for October 20.
The case has also drawn attention to the extraordinary intervention by the soldiers, whose actions helped bring the violent confrontation to an end.
The Army identified Nunez and Hytower as among the service members who stopped to help, while military officials praised their willingness to respond to an emergency involving civilians.
Their intervention was particularly significant because the encounter happened on a busy highway, where approaching an armed person posed substantial risks.
Rather than remaining bystanders, the soldiers acted to separate the alleged attacker from the children and secure the weapon before police arrived.
For the two girls, the traumatic incident began with their mother waking them in the middle of the night and warning that someone was following them.
Hours later, they were injured, frightened and receiving emergency medical treatment after an interstate crash and alleged knife attack.
One of the most heartbreaking details emerged when the younger child spoke with investigators.
According to the probable cause affidavit, she struggled to understand why her mother had allegedly attacked her and her sister.
The 10-year-old asked police why her mother was trying to kill them and whether she was going to die.
Those words underscore the terror the children allegedly experienced during an incident that investigators say placed their lives in immediate danger.
For now, both girls have survived, Ellington remains in custody and prosecutors are preparing to pursue the serious felony charges.
