Vehicle, snowplow collision Monday morning

EPHRATA — On Monday morning, a 21-year-old from Ephrata, identified as Charles Cole, was driving a 2009 Hyundai Sonata at high speed and lost control on Sagebrush Flats Road Northwest.  

This resulted in a collision with a snowplow operated by the Grant County Public Works Department. The incident, reported by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, occurred in the 7000 block of the road.  

“When driving near a snowplow, follow the advice on the plow’s warning sign and stay back 200 feet,” GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. “Avoid passing a moving plow and never pass a plow on the right. Leave earlier to compensate for safe and slower travel time.” 

Jose Garcia Contreras, 27, from Moses Lake, was behind the wheel of the snowplow. He was a little banged up from the incident but no serious injuries.  

At the time of the collision, all the plow's warning lights were active, as noted in the report by the Motor Traffic Unit Deputy. 

Following the incident, Cole is set to receive a notice of infraction for driving too fast for the road conditions. Additionally, he faces a charge of third-degree driving on a suspended license. Cole had non-life-threatening injuries. 

“The collision captured in the photo (we released) represents exactly what can happen on a snowy or icy road,” Grant County Sheriff’s Officer Kyle Foreman said. “In this case, the car’s driver was driving way too fast, lost control, and slammed into a snowplow. The car’s driver was lucky he was not seriously injured or killed, and the plow operator was lucky as well.”