A Toyota Prius, of course, can't clear the underside of a flatbed trailer. / Courtesy photo
CAR SLAMS INTO SIDE OF FLATBED TRAILER ON SR 508
• A collision on the east side of the state Route 508 South Fork Newaukum Bridge early yesterday morning destroyed a Toyota Prius that slammed into the side of a trailer being pulled by a dump truck that was turning around on the highway. Aid called about 2:15 a.m. found the impact into the flatbed trailer sheered off much of the driver’s side of the car, according to Lewis County Fire District 1. The driver and his female passenger amazingly suffered only minor injuries, Fire Chief Mark Conner said. Conner said the truck driver realized he was over the weight limit for the bridge and was turning around. The speed limit is 55 mph there. The driver had an injury to his left leg, he said. They were taken to Providence Centralia Hospital. The bridge, about five miles east of Onalaska, was shut down about two weeks ago because of significant corrosion and was reopened with weight limits until it can be repaired.
JUST A LITTLE ROAD RASH ON US HIGHWAY 12
• Lewis County Fire District 3 was called about 11:30 a.m. yesterday to a motorcycle wreck on U.S. Highway 12 about two miles west of Mossyrock. The motorcyclist hit a piece of wood in the roadway, laid his motorcycle down and narrowly missed striking a guardrail, according to Fire Chief Doug Fosburg. His motorcycle was destroyed but he was very lucky, the chief said. “He was able to walk away,” Fosburg said. “He was wearing all the proper safety gear, including a helmet.” The man, who was with a group of riders the chief thought was from Tacoma, declined aid, he said.
POLICE SEEK KNIFE WIELDING BOYFRIEND
• Police are looking for a 52-year-old man who fled his north Centralia home Friday night bleeding after his girlfriend struck him in the head with a wine bottle. Police were told Gerardo R. Espinosa threatened his live-in girlfriend with a knife at the 1500 block of Windsor Avenue. The bottle to the head gave her time to call 911 but Espinosa left, according to the Centralia Police Department. A track was conducted with a police dog, but Espinosa’s scent was lost about a quarter of a mile away near a friend’s house, Sgt. Stacy Denham said. Police think someone gave him a ride away, Denham said. The 45-year-old girlfriend was not injured, but he is wanted for first-degree assault, according to Denham.
VEHICLE STOLEN AND STRIPPED
• Centralia police were called about 5 p.m. yesterday about a vehicle that was stolen from a home and then subsequently found stripped in connection with an address on the 800 block of Long Road in Centralia.
THEFT
• Police were called yesterday morning about two Stihl chainsaws stolen about 10:30 a.m. from the 700 block of North Pearl Street.
• Police took a report about 12:15 a.m. today that a video camera was stolen from a business on the 800 block of B Street in Centralia.
CAR PROWL
• Centralia police took a report from the 300 block of East Pine Street that someone got inside a vehicle and stole the title and an insurance card sometime between last Tuesday and Wednesday.
CHILD FALLS INTO CAMP FIRE
• A 2-year-old boy was hospitalized after he fell into a campfire at Rainbow Falls State Park off state Route 6 west of Chehalis. Lewis County Fire District 11 Chief Michael Krafczyk said aid was called about 7:10 p.m. on Friday to the park. “He burned the palm of his hand and his knee but I don’t know the extent of his burns,” Krafczyk said, noting he did not personally respond to the call. The child was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, the chief said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I happen to have a friend who is friends with the prius driver and I heard today that he is being charged with dui. He says his breathalyzer was .06 but his bac from blood draw was .14. Also claims to have had only 4 beers that nite. Wondering how screwed this guy is now……
As I crossed that bridge today, I slowed down to the posted 45mph limit, then with nobody behind me stopped my car when I came into full view of the roadway after the turn. I had no problem what so ever coming to a smooth stop where all the plastic and glass was. According to Google Earth, there is about 120 yards from where the roadway straightens out to the crash site. Not a problem at all for me.
If however the driver had been drinking, and or speeding, and or arguing with their passenger, and or just not paying attention to the roadway then yes, they could have blown the chance to slow down and had a crash. If he were driving buzzed, then he should be arrested; Period.
I think the WSP is pretty good at figuring out what happened. With any luck it will get updated.
The truck was only blocking the entire road as you say because he was TURNING AROUND! !! Ian not saying who was or wasn’t at fault…..was just stating an opinion. With that said…..if…..IF the car driver was drinking he MAY be have reacted better if he hadn’t been. Ian sure they will figure it all out eventually.
Wow. This is where I think our DUI laws are completely Draconian and unfair. Even if the driver as the car was speeding and drunk as hell, this accident could never have occurred had the driver of the truck not been BLOCKING THE ENTIRE ROADWAY WITH HIS VEHICLE! Period. However, if the driver was unfortunate enough to have any alcohol in his system, he will have to take the full blame for something that was not his fault. It’s bullshit, as far as I am concerned.
Alcohol need not have been involved. It was 2:15 in the morning, I’m guessing the driver was trying not to doze at the wheel. The effects of that are surprisingly similar to alcohol impairment.
Plus which, if memory serves, that’s a singularly poorly-lit area. If upon actually catching sight of the truck the driver either had too little time to brake or just flat-out panicked … well, the results all look a lot alike. At least no fatalities resulted.
No matter how many lights and reflectors are on a vehicle, they are still hard to spot around a corner.
My question is not why the truck was there but how did the car not see lights and reflectors that are generally ALL over a truck and trailer. I am guessing speed and alcohol are involved. Article says speed limit is 55not but doesn’t say car was going speed limit or not.
There are signs all up and down 508 from I-5 to Morton – how did the dump truck driver not know about the weight limit? Unless he came from a side road….and forgot about the limit…and was out too late to remember….
Plus, doesn’t the bridge sit along a curve in the road, so it is possible that oncoming traffic would not be able to see a road block until too late?
I can understand the passenger car being out at 2 am (and not just because the bars have closed, but travelling out of town and coming back late, etc), but what about the dump truck? Late night work?
I agree that it’s interesting that a late-night car accident where the drivers walk away has no mention of alcohol, but a cycle v deer fatality discusses alcohol or drugs on the last line.
I don’t think they can take a blood sample just for finding an open container.
Free Air, I know this… the article didn’t mention it, and I was curious if Sharyn knew anything differently.
The WSP would have taken a blood sample to check if this was a DUI or not if they smelled any alcohol or found an open container.
This is true….
don’t know George. but the fire chief said the speed limit is 55 there, and hitting something like that unexpected in the roadway in the dark might be a little like hitting a brick wall … –sharyn d.
Sharyn, do you know if the accident by that bridge had alcohol involved? You would almost think that it would be, considering the time, and the fact that the driver of the car was apparently going pretty fast.
Just sayin’…