Vehicle collision started fire near George

GEORGE - A teenager tried passing a pickup on Interstate 90, collided with the truck and led the vehicles to start a fire eight miles west of George on July 17.

Benjamin Mitchell, 18, Cashmere, was driving a 1991 Saab when he tried to pass Kevin Hill Sr., 38, Ephrata, driving his 2002 Chevrolet pickup, when their vehicles collided, the Washington State Patrol reported.

Mitchell allegedly tried to pass on the left and lost control of the car, over-corrected and struck the pickup leading both vehicles to leave I-90 to the right. The pickup rolled and landed on its wheels.

The vehicles caught fire and led to an area of brush being burned, according to the state patrol.

A Spokane family stopped to render help.

"There was a red pickup double-cab truck on fire with three men inside. My brother-in-law (Kevin Wakefield) jumped out of my car ... he ran to the car and there were men helping the front seat passengers out of the car already," wrote Teresa Mertens.

Wakefield was able to pull a victim from a backseat through a window.

"My niece gave one man her sweater to lay under his head. There was blood everywhere," Mertens wrote.

A doctor stopped to assist with the injured while people waited about 40 minutes for an emergency crew to arrive, she stated.

Kevin Hill Sr. was airlifted to Central Washington Hospital for a reported head and neck injuries.

His sons and passengers, Kevin Hill Jr., 19, and Joshua Hill, 17, were transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake for reported head injuries, according to the state patrol.

Mitchell and his passenger, Taylor E. Mitchell, 21, Wenatchee, did not report any injuries but were transported to Samaritan Hospital as a precaution.

The state patrol listed the cause of the accident as improper lane travel and recommended charges of improper lane travel.