Interstate 5 is closed for hours and traffic diverted as responders deal with multiple injuries and a death on the roadway in Napavine today. / Courtesy photo by Alicia Meehan
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
One person was killed, one seriously injured and four others hospitalized after a Ford Explorer struck a disabled car being pushed across Interstate 5 at Napavine today.
Troopers, firefighters and medics called at 12:40 p.m. to the northbound lanes found the disabled blue Mustang had come to rest in the ditch facing the wrong way, and the entire roadway blocked. The freeway was not reopened for three and half hours.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the 1988 Mustang driven by a 23-year-old man from Redmond experienced mechanical issues and stopped on the left shoulder, but was partially blocking the fast lane.
A yellow Ford Mustang pulled over in front of the car to help. The good samaritan – traveling with his family – and the 23-year-old were attempting to push the car to the right shoulder when the northbound Explorer struck the good samaritan and the back of the car, according to the state patrol.
Members of Lewis County Fire District 5, District 6 and AMR responded to treat and transport patients, District 5 Firefighter Brad Bozarth said.
Deceased at the scene was Miguel A. Melendez, 39, from Everson, according to the state patrol.
Bozarth said the victim’s wife, while not directly involved in the collision, needed to be evaluated and was among those taken to Providence Centralia Hospital.
One critical patient, the driver of the disabled Mustang, was transported there as well, Bozarth said. He is Ezekiel T. Smith, 23, of Redmond, the investigating trooper reports.
The state patrol states the driver of the Explorer, 68-year-old Dale R. Demarais, of Marysville, was unhurt. However, three of his passengers, one of whom is an infant, were taken to Providence with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Bozarth.
No charges are expected, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Both vehicles were declared totaled. It happened just south of the milepost 72 interchange.
Update on Friday June 26, 2015 at 9 a.m.: Smith was treated and has been released from the hospital.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I do not hate the man that killed the closest man to my heart in my life, but, he will pay.
In Sleeping Giant’s cae, Nichole, you have to consider the source. Read his other posts and you’ll get what I mean. The flouride’s unhinged him…can’t be helped.
It does sound like Miguel WAS a good man who’ll be missed by many. My condolences to you, the kids and his friends.
Miguel actual has 6 children and a in burn baby and in born grandchild and if anyone has anything negative to say why don’t u keep it to yourself selfish people
“If someone really wanted to be a hero starting with the removal of the fluoride from the citys water supply would be a start.”
I was wondering how you were going to turn this story into a fluoride rant….
Goes to show you that being a Hero will get you a Zero… The only thing this guy gets from this is being dead and a Few Hero comments. Why not give him a Funeral like the cop just received.. Im not saying anything bad about the deceased but sometimes its just best not to care. Because in the end this article will be quickly forgotten. There will be no statue and the Fluoride will be still pumped to your homes by the Centralia Public Works Department. Because they care about your teeth. If someone really wanted to be a hero starting with the removal of the fluoride from the citys water supply would be a start. After all getting bone cancer and having Thyroid problems is Trendy..
Good Samaritan – Miguel Melendez, the deceased in this article has a wife, two children and one on the way. He had no life insurance. Monetary contributions are greatly appreciated for burial and living expenses. Thank you for any help.
Go to this site to donate——
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/9899/miguel-angelo-melendez
I’m sure Miguel was a good man but this probably wouldn’t have happened if he had left the traffic control and tow job to the professionals. Sometimes dogooders are too eager to help and make poor decisions and get the people they are trying to help to do things they wouldn’t or shouldn’t do otherwise.
I stopped for two little girls who were trying to cross the street one time. They crossed in front of me and one was hit by some yahoo in a van that sped through the intersection from my right. I have second guessed myself on that for years. If I wouldn’t have stopped, they perhaps wouldn’t have tried to cross. It was a natural reflex on my part, but, if I had to do it again, I would probably have just slowed and rolled through the intersection.
The driver of the Ford Explorer should be cited. Even though it’s a freeway, you lawfully must have your car under control and be able to stop to avoid hitting someone. Which means leaving stopping distance and being alert to the situation ahead of you. This seems to be lost on people these days, especially with the texting, mobile phones, and GPS screens.
I love you and everybody loves you too and you will be missed. And you were a good man <3…
Miguel would stop and help anyone stranded he did this all the time without thinking twice cause that’s the kind of man he was tragic we are all saddened as my kids are now fathers less as is his other 4 children and unborn child and grand child on the way he left this earth as a good Samaritan helping another person an
Sleeping giant. All and all I think we have a better system than Ethiopia.
I know I wouldn’t want to live there. But you don’t play in the freeway. Do as bobbyinLC says and wait for the WSP and wrecker.
This is so sad. Prayers to all. But Sleeping Giant, your a troll! Why must you always post about non sense on tragedy? Why not just offer a kind word or two instead of spewing your crap? Are you always feeling SOME KIND OF WAY? Or are you always just a troll?
This is very tragic. My heart goes out to their families.But we are so thankful for the hope the bible gives that the dead will live again in a new perfect world where mistakes like this will never happen again. Loved ones will be united in a new world of justice under a new government, the Kingdom of God. Jw .org
Maile: I am now law enforcement but the best thing you can do is get out of your vehicle. That traffic is traveling at 70+ miles per hour. Call 911 as soon as you can and the troopers will be on their way to you especially when you explain you are partially blocking.
It will be very frightening to be standing on the left shoulder of the road while traffic speeds past you but your best bet is to also head back from your disabled vehicle. That way if it does get hit it doesn’t get pushed towards you.
Only and only if there is no traffic coming would I ever try to cross the highway to the right shoulder which is a larger area.
The main thing is to keep calm and notify 911 as soon as possible.
The sad thing here is America itself. There is a time lapsed recording of an intersection in Etheiopia with no traffic lights and not one car even wrecks during the course of the day. A large percentage of drivers are too busy on their phones to even notice the roads. Also people follow way to close everywhere i look. Americans often think their in a suit of armor while driving their tin can death traps.. yeah the incident could of been prevented with a little patience. But know some yuppie had to get to Starbucks instead. After all missing that daily dose of Fluoride in the coffee would be an outrage. How dare a car break down on the freeway and someone had to get it out of the way for the rest of the American pukes in a hurry. This Country is a steaming corn filled turd. Lets just blame this whole incident on a flag or something and it will be okay… Slow down and quit tailgating people this is disturbing…..
How tragic. We were SB and must have come upon it moments after it happened. Our hearts go out to all affected. Sharon, I would appreciate hearing from the police/sheriffs, etc. what their advice is if any of us find ourselves in the same situation of our car breaking down in the left lane, slowing traffic. It’s so dangerous and scary…how can we all be safe? Thank you.