Four-way wreck kills Ephrata man

SOAP LAKE - An Ephrata man was killed in a four-vehicle wreck three miles west of Soap Lake Friday.

The man, Cyrus J. Broers, 85, was driving east on state Route 28 around 11:30 a.m. when he stopped his 1996 Dodge pickup and attempted a left turn to Road 17.6 NW, according to information released Monday by the Washington State Patrol.

Edward T. Alvarez, Jr., 26, also of Ephrata, struck Broers from behind with his 2006 Honda Pilot. That resulted in Broers being pushed into oncoming traffic. He died at the scene.

Two other drivers were headed westbound at the same time, whose vehicles were struck by Broer's pick up. The other drivers were Charlet D. Hoyt, 36, of Soap Lake; and the other Jamie Wallace, 29, of Ephrata.

Hoyt was injured and transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake, as was a minor female passenger in Wallace's 2006 GMC pick up.

Wallace was not injured, nor two other minor passengers who were traveling with her. All three were transported to Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata as a precautionary measure.

Alvarez was not injured.

All four of the vehicles were totalled and towed from the scene.

Broers was not wearing a seat belt. Everyone else involved had a restraint in place.

The case is still under investigation, with possible charges pending, the Washington State Patrol said.

The patrol said drugs or alcohol were not factors in the wreck.