Truck crashes with 3 cars, injuring 4 people

ROYAL CITY — Ten people in vehicles that tangled with a truck near here on Highway 26 on New Year’s Eve survived to tell about it.

But four of them were taken to hospitals, according to Washington State Trooper B. Borgman. Neither drugs nor alcohol were a factor, Borgman said, and everyone involved used proper safety restrains.

The series of collisions occurred at around 2:20 p.m. after one of the vehicles stopped to wait for oncoming traffic while making a left turn into the driver’s private driveway.

According to Borgman, Jorge Mendoza Ramirez, 35, of Royal City was the driver attempting the left turn about four and a half miles east of Royal. He was eastbound on 26 in a gray 1996 Ford F150 pickup.

The truck involved, a 2004 Peterbilt tractor with trailer, was also westbound. It was driven by Rosa M. Huerta, 49 of Othello.

By the time it arrived, there was a second vehicle waiting behind the Ramirez vehicle. The driver, John C. Simpson, 54, of Moses Lake suspected the truck was not going to stop, He moved his red 2006 Toyota Tacoma pickup out of the lane and to the right side of the Ramirez pickup to avoid being hit.

After the brakes were applied to the truck, the trailer slid around the tractor into oncoming traffic and struck a fourth vehicle, a purple 1996 Saturn SL four door, driven by Martin Reyes Garcia, 54, of Quincy.

Of all the drivers, only Reyes Garcia was injured. He was taken by ambulance to Othello Community Hospital.

Also injured and transported by ambulance to OCH, were Maria G. Mendoza, 33, Quincy; Ailen Suarez, 3, Quincy; and William Mendoza 5, of Quincy. They were all passengers in the Martin Reyes Garcia vehicle.

While the trailer was striking the Reyes Garcia car, Borgman said, the tractor struck the Mendoza car, causing it to strike the Simpson car.

The vehicles all sustained reportable damage. The truck was removed by Davis Towing of Schawana. The Toyota pickup was driven from the scene. The other two vehicles were removed by Royal Towing.

Other persons involved in the crashes included: Flavia Arroyo Sandoval. 28; Maritza Mendoza, 5; Brenda Mendoza, 10; and Ariana Mendoza, 5; all passengers in the Mendoza car.

There were two uninjured passengers in the Mendoza car. They were Ailen Suarez, 3 of Quincy and William A. Mendoza, 3.