Dust storm causes outage, accident

COLUMBIA BASIN — Friday's dust storm caused a four-car accident and power outages in the Grant County area.

The storm swept into Moses Lake by 6 p.m. Power outages then started at 6:12 p.m., Grant PUD Public Information Officer Gary Garnant said.

Tree limbs and other flying debris hit power lines and caused most of the outages, according to Garnant.

Crews immediately responded to the outages and restored power to Moses Lake by 8:35 p.m.

Aside from the power outages, one person was injured in a four-car accident that resulted from the storm.

Fashion M. Anderson, 30, Spokane, was driving westbound on Interstate 90 at milepost 199 around 6 p.m. when she struck a 1996 Dodge pickup in the rear. The pickup was driven by Brandon E. Romero, 30, of Belgrade, Mont., who was not injured, but Anderson was injured and taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, according to the Washington State Patrol.

As Anderson's 1998 Dodge Neon sat blocking the road, a third car, which was driven by Jennifer M. Mauer, 20, of Colville, collided with the disabled vehicle.

Mauer's 2002 Chevy Cavalier was then hit by a 2003 Dodge pickup driven by Peter T. Shepp, 65, of St. Maries, Idaho, as he headed westbound on the interstate, the WSP stated.

Mauer, Anderson and Shepp's vehicles were damaged and towed from the scene.

Romero was able to drive his pickup from the scene, the WSP stated.

— Staff report