Friday, January 9, 2015

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.



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.