Failure to stop kills two from Mattawa

ROYAL CITY — The failure of one driver to stop at a stop sign resulted in the death of two people and hospitalization of two others near here on June 13, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported.

All of the vehicle occupants were Mattawa residents. Neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor, and all occupants were wearing seat belts.

Coroner Craig Morrison identified the deceased as Ericela Lopez Garcia, 32, and Jose Carmen Marin Cruz, 42. They were passengers in a 1993 Honda Accord traveling west on Road 11 SW driven by Ericela’s husband, Jesus Lopez Lopez, 31, of Mattawa.

The Honda was struck by a 2004 Nissan pickup driven by Fabiola Sitio Aniceto, 32 of Mattawa. She was traveling south on Road G SW and failed to stop at the intersection’s stop sign, the GCSO reported.

Jesus Lopez Lopez was flown by LifeFlight to Kadlec Medical Center in Tri-Cities. He was release Monday afternoon.

One passenger in the pickup, 12-year-old Larry Sitio, was transported by ambulance to Othello Community Hospital.

Fabiola Sitio Aniceto and two other passengers in the pickup, Mario Sitio Hernandez, 41, of Mattawa, and Mario Yosue Sitio, 15, of Mattawa declined medical treatment.