Quincy woman dies in collision near Cle Elum
Trooper Brian Moore/courtesy photo A Quincy woman died in a three-vehicle collision near Cle Elum on Monday.
CLE ELUM — A Quincy woman died in a collision on Interstate 90 near Cle Elum on Monday.
About 3:15 p.m. Waiyakoon Pungprakearti, 48, of Federal Way, was driving a 2012 Freightliner semi-truck with a trailer east on I-90, about three miles west of Cle Elum. He reportedly tried to move right to avoid slowing traffic and struck a 2003 Toyota Corolla driven by Martin Cuali-Ramirez, 18, of Quincy. The Corolla reportedly spun around and the Freightliner went on to strike a 2015 Mini Cooper driven by Betzaida Mendoza, 28, of Perris, Calif. The Mini Cooper was reportedly forced in a Department of Transportation fence by the semi, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Cuali-Ramirez’s passenger, Marta Cuali, 54, of Quincy, was killed. Cuali-Ramirez was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment. Mendoza was transported to Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg for treatment. Pungprakearti was not injured. The patrol reports the cause of the collision was Pungprakearti’s inattention. Charges are pending.
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.