Responders had to use hydraulic equipment to free a male and a female from wrecked truck. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Four people were hurt, two of them seriously, when two pickup trucks collided at North Pearl and West Third streets in Centralia this morning.
Firefighters responding to the scene about 9 a.m. found a male and a female unconscious with traumatic injuries who had to be extricated from a red pickup truck, using hydraulic tools. Their vehicle had sustained heavy front end damage, according to Riverside Fire Authority.
A third occupant of the red truck got himself out, according to the fire department.
All three were transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, Fire Capt. Scott Weinert stated. The male and female in their late 20s or 30s were in serious condition.
The other vehicle was a white pickup truck pulling a landscape trailer which was damaged on its passenger side and front end, according to Weinert. The occupant of the white truck was evaluated on the scene and declined an ambulance ride to the hospital but was taken there by a family member, according to Weinert.
The Centralia Police Department is investigating.
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At North Pearl and West Third streets this morning. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
If you follow the story you will find out that the Driver of the red truck was arrested for driving while under the influence of a drugs.
Unbelievable has a good point. White trucks are by far the most widely used in the landscaping business. I live on N. Pearl St and work in Thurston County. Just in my daily commute, personal and business related travels and connections, I can think of nearly a dozen landscaping companies that have “white trucks”. Most have utility trailers.
In this case, the driver of the red truck was reported by the police department to be under the influence of drugs. He was eastbound on W. 3rd St. and blew through the stop sign at N. Pearl St. where the accident occurred. I didn’t see the accident, but was VERY close to it. Close enough to see that the one passenger of the red truck that wasn’t seriously injured was tweaking so badly that he was practically tying himself in knots.
On another note, I would like to add that I turn onto Pearl St. from W. 3rd almost daily, and I know that it can be dangerous due to sight obstruction and the fact that there are two lanes, both southbound and sometimes the traffic is traveling at a high rate of speed. It’s posted at 30 mph in this section, but it’s rare to see a vehicle doing less than 40. 50+ is not unusual. This morning, however, there was no sight obstruction whatsoever. The guy just blew the stop sign. But, while he was very clearly at fault, it’s still not likely that this level of destruction and injury would have happened if everyone had been following posted traffic signs. Including speed limit.
unbelievable-just maybe Karen and Good Citizen are basing their comments on fact and not opinion. Maybe they are not just saying it based on an article as shown here, just maybe what they say is true? How do you know which driver is at fault? can you make that assumption based off this same article? here is my opinion-maybe your the driver of the white truck.
Both of you can really cause some major damage with your statements. Good thing its was based on fact and not opinion… FYI That is a company truck so for 1. More than one person has probably driven the vehicle for 2. What was the name on the truck that almost hit both of you? because this vehicle has a company name in BIG blue letters on it on both sides and phone number on it… IDK about you BUT if they were about to hit me I would have called them personally and reported to police with that much information on a vehicle… and in this picture you can not see the name of the company so how do you KNOW THIS was that TRUCK that almost hit you? there are several white trucks with landscaping equipment trailers in Centralia. How do you know that this was thee one that almost wrecked into you? Maybe you’re friends with the driver at fault?!
I have seen that white pick-up and trailer run many red lights in the chehalis Centralia area.
Idk who’s fault it was but, the person in the white truck has almost hit me with his crazy driving.