FOG AND ICY ROAD
CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTES TO DEADLY CRASH ON I-82 IN SELAH, WASHINGTON STATE. DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF DANGEROUS DRIVING
CONDITIONS AND SLOW DOWN. ALSO, THE
DRIVERS NEED TO STAY INSIDE THEIR VEHICLES.
The Washington State Patrol investigates an accident in
which a woman was killed and her baby left in critical condition following a
chain-reaction crash in foggy weather on I-82 north of Selah, Wash. Jan. 8,
2015. (GORDON KING/Yakima Herald-Republic)
January 8, 2015
SELAH — A tragic multiple-vehicle collision on
Interstate 82 Thursday morning took the life of a 36-year-old Yakima woman but
spared her young son, whom she was holding in her arms.
The Washington State Patrol said Antonia A. Vazquez Ruiz
was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which may have involved seven
or more vehicles near the exit for the Yakima Training Center. Vazquez Ruiz’s
son, 17-month-old Giovanni Vazquez, did not suffer serious injuries, according
to Lt. Ken Wade.
“Memorial (Hospital) told us that he was released
earlier today to his aunt and he’s fine,” Wade said. “It’s very fortunate; he
was apparently in his mother’s arms when she was struck.”
The freezing-fog conditions at the time of the accident
are expected to continue this morning.
The pileup began at 6 a.m. when an unnamed driver hit a
semi-truck, then spun into a guard rail, Wade said. That triggered a series of
collisions on the slippery road at a time when visibility was poor.
At some point during the collisions, Vazquez Ruiz
climbed out of her 1999 Volkswagen Beetle, which was disabled in the traffic
lanes, Wade said, and a 2005 Dodge Ram driven by Richard Beard, 60, of Wapato
struck either Vazquez Ruiz or her car. Exactly what happened remains under investigation.
Westbound lanes were closed between the exit for the
Army’s training center and Ellensburg. Both lanes reopened about 10:35 a.m.
The total number of vehicles involved remains unknown,
Wade said, because some drivers might have driven from the scene.
The semi-truck initially struck from behind by the
driver that triggered the accident didn’t stop. Wade said the driver may not
have realized the trailer had been hit.
The State Patrol is asking that anyone who witnessed the
accident call 509-575-2320, ext. 7.
The heavy fog and near-freezing temperatures caused
numerous minor car accidents across Yakima County, said John Durand, the Yakima
County sheriff’s chief criminal deputy.
The forecast calls for similar conditions to last
through about noon today. The National Weather Service warns that visibility in
the region may be less than a quarter of a mile and roads are likely to be icy
in dense patches of fog.
Durand said 14 accidents had been reported to the
sheriff’s office on Wednesday and another 10 Thursday morning.
“People just need to be aware and slow down,” Durand
said. “Especially with the temperatures the way they are, the fog freezes to
the road and it’s worse than ice in that way, because you can’t see it.”
Like many others, I drive this road regularly, and am
astounded by the speed at which drivers are comfortable with in the winter fog.
Typical terrible conditions this morning, visibility was variable from 50' to
400' all the way between Ellensburg and Yakima. I Was passed regularly by
people doing 70 miles an hour or better. 70mph is 100' per second. Today's news
is a tragic reminder that we all need to slow down. And AWD and 4wd don't help
you to stop any faster.