By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The man struck and killed on Centralia-Alpha Road this morning as he was assessing the damage on his own car that had slid into a ditch has been identified as Steven B. Wirth, a 53-year-old Onalaska resident.
Wirth was traveling northbound near Beck Road and ended up in the ditch on the opposite side of the road, according to the Washington State Patrol. He then got out to inspect his car, Sgt. Ted DeHart said.
A northbound 2003 Mazda MX5, driven by a 36-year-old Onalaska woman, then slid on the icy road across the centerline and hit Wirth and his car, according to DeHart.
He was dead at the scene.
The Mazda MX5 rolled onto its top, coming to rest just north of Wirth’s vehicle. It’s driver, Jo L. Halverson, 36, was taken by ambulance to Providence Centralia Hospital with head and neck pain, the state patrol reported.
There was localized ice and frost on the roads in Lewis County this morning, DeHart said.
A the same time, some 100 to 200 feet away, a Ford Escort carrying two high school students had slid off the road, DeHart said.
Also, a fire department volunteer responding in their personal vehicle was almost stopped when it slid into the back of a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle, causing minimal damage to the volunteer’s vehicle.
It all happened around 7:30 a.m. about two miles north of Onalaska.
The collision is still under investigation, but DeHart said evidence suggested Halverson was not exceeding the posted speed limit and there did not appear to be any willful or wanton disregard for others on her part.
The MX5 was totaled, according to the state patrol. The amount of damage to Wirth’s 1985 Mazda RX7 was not described.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter