Exiting car, woman hit, killed by second car

WARDEN - An Othello woman was killed near here on Highway 17 on Oct. 1 when she was hit by a car after leaving her own car, which had been in a crash.

The 3-collision incident occurred at around 10 p.m. at milepost 36 on highway 17, the Washington State patrol said. The deceased woman is Maria E. Farias, 49, of Othello.

According to the WSP, Farias was driving a 1996 Honda Accord southbound on Highway 17. Her car rear-ended a 1997 Honda Accord, which was waiting for a left turn by yet another car.

The 1997 Honda was driven by Leonardo Zavala-Ortiz, 43, of Othello. He was uninjured, and his car was driven from the scene.

The State Patrol said Farias exited her car, after striking the Zavala-Ortiz vehicle, and became a pedestrian. She was then struck by a third car driven by Juan Labra, 18, of Othello.

Labra's 2000 Vokswagon Golf then went on to strike Farias's Honda. The golf needed to be towed.

Labra was not injured, the State Patrol said, but a passenger, Maria D. Perez, 24, of Othello was. She was transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.

- Staff report