Storm contributes to collisions

MOSES LAKE - Winter weather was a likely factor in a number of Grant County collisions late last week.

There were a few mostly minor collisions during the storm within the Moses Lake city limits, according to Moses Lake Police Capt. Dave Sands on Friday.

Grant County sheriff's patrol units and the Washington State Patrol responded to approximately eight crashes in Grant County as of Friday morning, according to sheriff's Chief Deputy Ken Jones.

One occurred at about 12:45 p.m. Thursday, when a Portland man was reportedly injured after his truck went off state Route 243, about seven miles south of Desert Aire.

Raymond Owen, 52, was driving a 1996 Freightliner tractor trailer south on SR 243 when it left the roadway to the right, landing on its side, according to the state patrol.

Owen was reportedly transported to the Mattawa Clinic by a private party.

Inattention was allegedly the cause of the crash and the state patrol anticipates charges of driving with wheels off the roadway.

Further west, three Moses Lake truck drivers were involved in a seven vehicle collision Thursday at about 9 a.m. on Interstate 90, about 3 miles east of Easton.

Jeffrey L. Moore, 51, Moses Lake, was driving a 1997 Kenworth tractor trailer west on I-90 when he reportedly struck an unoccupied Washington State Patrol vehicle that was parked along the freeway while the trooper was conducting chain enforcement patrols, according to the state patrol.

The crash reportedly resulted in a chain reaction with five other westbound vehicles being unable to stop and colliding with one another.

The other Moses Lake drivers were Rigoberto Flores Garcia, 26, who was driving a 2002 Kenworth tractor trailer hauling a flatbed trailer and Howard J. Stigner, 46, who was driving a 2003 Freightliner tractor trailer.

Stigner was reportedly injured and transported to Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg, as were a 53-year-old Algona man and a 67-year-old Lilliwaup man.

Moore, Garcia and a 36-year-old Spokane driver were involved in the wreck and reportedly uninjured.

The state patrol cited the cause of the crash as speed too fast for conditions and charges are anticipated.

One of the trucks was carrying ammonium nitrate - a highly explosive material - while another was carrying a silicon solid, according to Washington Patrol Lieutenant Scott Martin, who said neither of the hazardous loads was breached.

One lane was opened up to traffic at 4 p.m. and both lanes of the freeway were clear by 4:20 p.m., Martin said.

On Friday a major collision occurred at about 5 p.m. on state Route 17 and Randolph Road, about four miles north of Moses Lake.

Josephine E. Johnson, 73, Soap Lake, was driving a 1993 Pontiac GrandAm south on SR 17 when she reportedly crossed the center line into oncoming traffic, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Her vehicle hit a 1995 Ford Mustang head-on in the northbound lane that was driven by George D. Waters, 32, Soap Lake.

Both Johnson and Waters were reportedly injured and transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.

The Washington State Patrol anticipates charges of driving over the center line.