Revised Code of Washington
Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.070 (2026)
Police officer's report
✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
WA-LEGapp.leg.wa.gov
JustiaTitle on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
(1) Any police officer of the state of Washington or of any county, city, town, or other political subdivision, present at the scene of any accident or in possession of any facts concerning any accident whether by way of official investigation or otherwise shall make report thereof in the same manner as required of the parties to such accident and as fully as the facts in his or her possession concerning such accident will permit.
(2) The police officer shall report to the department, on a form prescribed by the director: (a) When a collision has occurred that results in a fatality; and (b) the identity of the operator of a vehicle involved in the collision when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the operator caused the collision.
(3) The police officer shall report to the department, on a form prescribed by the director: (a) When a collision has occurred that results in substantial bodily harm as defined in RCW 9A.04.110(4)(b); (b) the identity of the operator of a vehicle involved in the collision when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the operator who caused the substantial bodily harm may not be competent to operate a motor vehicle; and (c) the reason or reasons for the officer's belief.
[ 2023 c 29 s 1; 2010 c 8 s 9060; 1999 c 351 s 2; 1998 c 165 s 8; 1967 c 32 s 57; 1961 c 12 s 46.52.070. Prior: 1937 c 189 s 139; RRS s 6360-139.]
Notes:
Effective date—1998 c 165 ss 8-14: "Sections 8 through 14 of this act take effect January 1, 1999." [ 1998 c 165 s 15.]
Short title—1998 c 165: See note following RCW 43.59.010.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1988–2024 · leading case: Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 31 P.3d 628 (Wash. 2001).
Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 31 P.3d 628 (Wash. 2001). “RCW 46.52.070 ("Police officer's report. (1) Any police officer of the state of Washington or of any county, city, town or other political subdivision, present at the scene of any accident or in possession of any facts concerning any accident whether by way of official…”
Guillen v. Pierce Cnty., 181 A.L.R. Fed. 741 (Wash. 2001). “RCW 46.52.070 (“Police officer’s report. (1) Any police officer of the state of Washington or of any county, city, town or other political subdivision, present at the scene of any accident or in possession of any facts concerning any accident whether by way of *715 official…”
The City of Sunnyside v. Wendt, 755 P.2d 847 (Wash. Ct. App. 1988). “"(4) Any law enforcement officer who investigates an accident for which a driver's report is required under subsection (1) of this section shall submit an investigator's report as required by RCW 46.52.070." 8 RCW 46.52.070 provides: "Police officer's report.”
Lane v. City of Seattle, 194 P.3d 977 (Wash. 2008). “After all, state law requires police to report accidents (RCW 46.52.070) and school districts to educate special education children (RCW 28A.”
Lane v. City of Seattle, 164 Wash. 2d 875 (Wash. 2008). “After all, state law requires police to report accidents (RCW 46.52.070) and school districts to educate special education children (RCW 28A.”
Aleksey Zorchenko & Nina Zorchenko, App/cr-resps V. City Of Fed. Way, Resp/cr-apps (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “RCW 46.52.070(1) specifically requires that a police officer who is “present at the scene of any accident” or is “in possession of any facts concerning any accident” through investigation, “shall” make a report.”
Desmon v. Washington Dept. of Licensing, 269 P.3d 1070 (Wash. Ct. App. 2012). “(2) The department shall require a driver reported under RCW 46.52.070(2) and (3) to submit to an examination.”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.070(1) — 1 case
Aleksey Zorchenko & Nina Zorchenko, App/cr-resps V. City Of Fed. Way, Resp/cr-apps (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “RCW 46.52.070(1) specifically requires that a police officer who is “present at the scene of any accident” or is “in possession of any facts concerning any accident” through investigation, “shall” make a report.”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.52.070(2) — 2 cases
Desmon v. Washington Dept. of Licensing, 269 P.3d 1070 (Wash. Ct. App. 2012). “(2) The department shall require a driver reported under RCW 46.52.070(2) and (3) to submit to an examination.”
Aleksey Zorchenko & Nina Zorchenko, App/cr-resps V. City Of Fed. Way, Resp/cr-apps (Wash. Ct. App. 2024). “RCW 46.52.070(1) specifically requires that a police officer who is “present at the scene of any accident” or is “in possession of any facts concerning any accident” through investigation, “shall” make a report.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.