A five-car crash Sunday evening slowed Memorial Day traffic on state Route 410 and sent five people to area hospitals.

According to the Bonney Lake police, the driver of a full-size Dodge pickup became distracted while traveling east on SR 410 at 195th Avenue East around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. His truck slammed into a row of four westbound vehicles waiting in the turn lane. Police estimate the driver was traveling at speeds above 45 mph.

The first vehicle hit, a compact pickup truck, received the brunt of the damage. East Pierce Fire and Rescue crews used extrication equipment to remove the driver from that vehicle.

Traffic was reduced to one lane on either side of the accident while crews assisted patients to waiting ambulances. East Pierce officials said some of the injuries were serious, but none appeared to be life-threatening.

The Washington State Department of Transportation Incident Response Team was also called to the scene.

The driver of the Dodge pickup, who was uninjured, was cited and released.