An Ellensburg business owner was killed early Wednesday, Feb. 1, on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass in a bizarre traffic-related incident.

Brett T. Arnes, 35, owner of McDonald's franchises in Ellensburg, Quincy and Ephrata, crashed his pickup truck about 4 a.m. near milepost 42, about 10 miles east of North Bend. He was westbound and crossed the median and the eastbound lanes of the highway before coming to rest atop the guardrail.

Arnes then stepped out of his vehicle, removed his clothing and stood in the inside eastbound lane, where he was struck by a truck driven by Erick Hanson, 60, of Wilkeson, Pierce County. Hanson was on his way to work.

Arnes, who was married and had two teenage children, took over the McDonald's franchises in 1996 from his father, Johnny, who died in 2003 of cancer.

Ellensburg police responded to a domestic dispute at Arnes' home in December, but Trooper Kelly Spangler of the Washington State Patrol does not believe that is a factor in Arnes' behavior.

"We found evidence at the scene that tells us what we think happened, but we are not ready to make that public until we have completed our investigation," she said.

She said it could take a number of weeks to complete the investigation.

A dead dog was found near Arnes' truck, straddling the two eastbound lanes closest to the shoulder. Troopers are not sure if the dog is part of the accident scene.

Hanson will not be charged in the incident.

Morris Malakoff can be reached at (425) 453-4234 or morris.malakoff@kingcounty journal.com. KOMO-TV and the Ellensburg Daily Record contributed to this report.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.