Officials said alcohol contributed to a car crash that claimed the life of a Woodinville firefighter Wednesday night.

Matthew Roodzant, a 15-year veteran of Woodinville Fire and Rescue, was off-duty and driving his 2003 Dodge Ram with a friend on Cross Island Drive about 10:20 p.m. when he approached the T-intersection with Northwest Camano Drive.


A Washington State Patrol (WSP) report said Roodzant was traveling too fast and failed to stop at the intersection, causing him to crash through a guard rail and in to a tree.

The 38-year-old firefighter was transported to Colby Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The passenger in the vehicle was uninjured in the crash.

WSP said speed, alcohol and failure to stop caused the fatal wreck.

Interim fire Chief Mark Chubb said Roodzant was previously scheduled to be on-duty at the time of the crash but had switched shifts with a fellow firefighter, so his crew heard about the incident while on the job.

"As you can imagine, they are pretty shattered," Chubb said. "Even for a bunch of guys who interact with death fairly routinely, it still hits close to home when it's one of your own."

Roodzant had a wife of 15 years and three children.