Fife deputy city manager died after motorcycle collided with school bus, officials say

Fife deputy city manager Russ Blount, a longtime public works employee, died after his motorcycle collided with an empty school bus in Graham while he was on his way to work Thursday morning, according to officials.

The crash occurred around 6:25 a.m. as Blount was driving north on Orting Kapowsin Highway, according to Pierce County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss. When a southbound school bus attempted a left turn onto 240th Street East, Blount’s motorcycle crashed head-on into the bus.

A deputy arrived at 6:36 a.m., and Blount was transported to the hospital, where he died, Moss said. The bus driver suffered minor injuries from airbags and was not cited. No one else was aboard the bus.

Blount worked for the city for more than two decades, serving as Fife’s public works director for 17 years prior to becoming deputy city manager in 2018. The City Council appointed him interim city manager in July 2021 after the resignation of Hyun Kim. Current city manager Derek Matheson took over the role in April.

“If you ask anybody in Fife to say one thing about Russ Blount, they would say he was passionate about Fife,” Matheson said during a phone interview confirming Blount’s death on Saturday. “He worked on projects that will be visible in Fife for decades, if not longer.”

Those projects include the 70th Avenue and Valley Avenue corridors, as well as the new Port of Tacoma Road-Interstate 5 interchange, according to Matheson.

Blount also coordinated closely with the state Department of Transportation on the Route 167 extension through Fife between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma, Matheson said.

“Russ was a leader on transportation issues, not just in Pierce County but throughout the region and the state,” Matheson said.

Blount also had a passion for helping people experiencing homelessness and was recently the city’s lead on issues of homelessness.

“He was working hard to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness as well as respond to city residents and businesses who had concerns about encampments and crime,” Matheson said. “He brought a balance to that that I think was very helpful.”

Blount rode his motorcycle often, especially during warm summer weather, according to Matheson.

“He was a very avid and also very safety-conscious motorcycle rider,” Matheson said.

Blount’s motorcycle would have had the right of way on the highway Thursday, but investigators are still reconstructing the crash, Moss said. Vehicle speeds and the use of headlights had not been determined as of Saturday morning.

Pictures from the crash scene showed foggy conditions, according to Moss. Neither driver exhibited signs of intoxication.

Blount is survived by his wife and two children, according to Matheson.

The News Tribune was not immediately able to reach Blount’s family. Plans for a memorial service have not been announced.

The Fife City Council will likely have a moment of silence during its meeting Tuesday.

“He is going to be very dearly missed by his city family,” Matheson said.