2 injured in rear-end collision near Ephrata

EPHRATA — A Soap Lake man was allegedly intoxicated when he plowed into the back of another vehicle in a construction zone near Ephrata early Thursday morning.

About 4:15 a.m. Benjamin Haase, 40, of Soap Lake, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Astro Van north on state Route 17, near Rocky Ford Creek, when he approached a construction zone. Haase reportedly failed to stop for traffic near a construction zone flagger east of the construction zone and rear-ended a 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Jonathan Cruz Harley Caliz, 35, of Soap Lake. The Fusion then struck a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Richard Brinkley, 52, of Yelm, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Harley Caliz and Haase’s passenger, Aaron Barnes, 31, of Soap Lake, were injured in the collision and transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake for treatment. The patrol says Haase was intoxicated at the time of the collision and he will be facing a charge of vehicular assault. Everyone involved in the collision was wearing a seatbelt.