Othello woman dies in collision near Toppenish

TOPPENISH — Alcohol and/or drugs allegedly played a role in a fatal Monday morning collision near Toppenish that took the life of a 24-year-old Othello woman.

About 1:40 a.m. Uriel Vasquez-Maldonado, 25, of Vancouver, was driving a 2019 Nissan Altima north on state Route 97 at Larue Road, about a mile south of Toppenish, when the vehicle reportedly left the roadway and ended up rolling, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Vasquez-Maldonado’s passenger, Taneya Vasquez, 24, of Othello, died at the scene of the accident. Vasquez-Maldonado was injured and transported to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital in Yakima for treatment.

The exact cause of the collision is under investigation. The patrol says alcohol and/or drugs played a role in the collision and Vasquez-Maldonado and Taneya Vasquez were allegedly not wearing their seatbelts. Charges against Vasquez-Maldonado are pending the outcome of the patrol’s investigation.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at rbyrd@columbiabasinherald.com.