Two of the four vehicles from the third crash of the morning. / Courtesy photo by Byron Peck
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A wreck that began with a 74-year-old driver of a pickup losing control on an icy U.S. Highway 12 near Mossyrock this morning led to a 21-year-old Toledo man’s Ford F350 hitting the pickup that came into his lane, and then a Camry in the opposite lane before he stopped in the center of the highway and was struck by a fourth vehicle.
Riley B. Overby, 21, of Toledo, was uninjured, but his 1996 Ford Ford F350 was totaled, as were the other three vehicles, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Hazel F. Waldo, 74, from Castle Rock, the driver of the first pickup truck was also unhurt, but cited for speed too fast for conditions.
The 83-year-old driver of the Toyota Camry, Phoebe Young, from Richland, was the only person injured in the approximately 10:40 a.m. multiple vehicle collision, according to the state patrol. She was transported to Morton General Hospital.
It happened just west of Mossyrock, near milepost 84.
It was the third wreck of the morning in between Beach Road and Wilson Road, a particularly icy stretch, according to Lewis County Fire District 3.
“We had just cleared the scene from a previous accident in the same area, 15 or 20 minutes earlier,” Chief Doug Fosburg said.
That accident involved an off-the-roadway crash and when a second car stopped to help, a pickup truck sideswiped that car, he said.
Even earlier was a non-injury rollover wreck, he said.
“The sun just doesn’t hit that corner at all,” Fosburg said.
Fosburg said he was surprised the highway wasn’t de-iced after the first wreck, but the roadway was finally shut down until that could be done, he said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
We don’t need more SALT spread on our roads, we need people to pay more attention & to drive appropriately for the conditions!
If you see frost in the grass or on your windshield then drive as if it is icy!!
Hmmm…..cleared the scene and then another wreck? Somebody needs to COMPLAIN to the state to Spray de icer on it !!!
I went by there about 10 am and stopped at the JJ’s there right before the bridge. A young girl in a pick up slid off , but was ok. It was bad and everyone slowed way down , mostly.