Two Othello men die from collision near Royal City

Two Othello men died Thursday from a collision about 1 mile north of Royal City.

Perfecto Rojas Mejia, 45, was driving a 2004 Nissan Murano just before 2:25 p.m. south on Road E Southwest, stopped at the Road 11 Southwest stop sign and pulled in front of a westbound 2006 Freightliner, driven by James Howard Smith, 57, of Cle Elum.

The Nissan rolled onto the driver’s side in an irrigation canal, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office social media post.

Rojas Mejia died at the scene. His passenger, Romeo Velasquez Diaz, 58, was flown to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, where he was pronounced dead.

Smith was uninjured.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Motor Traffic Unit is investigating the collision.

Royal Slope Fire Department, Royal City Police Department, sheriff’s deputies and American Medical Response were on the scene.