Pasco man remains in critical condition after series of wrecks in dust storm

Yahoo

5 days ago

A 64-year-old man remains in critical condition a day after high-winds kicked up dust, leading to two wrecks in northern Franklin County.
Lawrence Richins, of Pasco, remained in critical condition at Kadlec Regional Medical Center on Monday, two days after colliding with a semi truck slowing for traffic on Highway 395 about four miles outside of Connell.
The crash was one of two linked to the blustery conditions kicking up dust across the highway Saturday afternoon. The National Weather Service reported there were 45 mph gusts.
Pictures and video shared on social media from the area show conditions similar to thick fog. Visibility appeared to be limited to feet.
While the two crashes happened within a half an hour of each other and within the same mile, Trooper Daniel Mosqueda said one crash didn't cause the other one.
Richins was driving a Kia Optima north on the highway when he struck a Freightliner semi that had slowed in front of him about 4:15 p.m.
Richins was taken to the hospital. It's unknown if he was wearing a seat belt.
The semi's driver, Ovidiu C. Botan, 53, of Sandpoint, Idaho, wasn't hurt.
Two hours later and within the same mile, three Freightliner semis, a Ford van, a GMC Yukon SUV and a Chrysler Towncar were all heading north on the highway, the Washington State Patrol said.
Two of the semis struck each other in the blowing dust setting off a chain reaction crash. The van hit one of the semis and then was hit by the GMC Yukon, which was struck by a third semi, and finally, the Chrysler hit the third semi.
The van's driver, Andrew E. Thomas, 29, of Spokane, was killed in the crash. The state patrol said it's unknown if he was wearing his seat belt.
The Chrysler's driver, Marita J. Little, 83, of Spokane, was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center.
Two other people, one of the semi's driver's, Oleg Kolesnyk, 54, of Auburn, and the Yukon's driver Katelyn M. Croisetiere, 35, of Absarokee, Mont. and a passenger, were hurt, but didn't need to go to the hospital.
Two girls, 6 and 8 years old, in the GMC and the other drivers, Efren Guerrero, 55, of Moxee, and Geovanie A. Ramirez, of Bakersfield, Calif., were not hurt.