Family Hurt On Way To Hospital Woman Rams Four Relatives Headed To Visit Shooting Victim, Police Say

A woman who was apparently trying to harm herself sent four people to the hospital Tuesday after ramming into two cars, police said.

For the people injured in the crash, it was a continuation of a family tragedy.

The Babb family - William, Dottie, Ann and Bill - was on its way to the hospital to visit a relative, Charles Babb, who was wounded in a shooting last Sunday.

While en route, the Babb family car was rammed by Valerie Ryan, 52, of Post Falls, police said.

William Babb, 73, of Post Falls was in critical condition at Kootenai Medical Center late Tuesday. Bill Babb, 43, of Atlanta was in serious condition, hospital officials said.

Ryan, driving her 1977 Pontiac Firebird, pulled into oncoming traffic on Seltice Way from Greensferry at 10:15 a.m., colliding with a GTE van at the intersection, said Sgt. Scot Hague.

The driver of the van was not injured and Ryan drove on, Hague said.

Witnesses followed Ryan in their cars, watching her travel westbound at 50 mph in a 35 mph zone, Hague said.

She continued west on Seltice until reaching the Fourth Street intersection, where she suddenly swerved into the eastbound lanes and struck the car driven by William Babb.

The collision sheered two doors, an axle and a rear tire off Babb’s car, according to Hague.

Ryan continued driving for another 400 feet, running over a curb and a guard rail, and coming to rest in a field.

“She admitted that she had been drinking,” Hague said. “Her statement to me was that she was intending to harm herself and intentionally cause these accidents.”

Ryan, who escaped serious injury, was taken to Kootenai Medical Center, where she was admitted to the psychiatric unit, Hague said.

Dottie Babb, 73, of Post Falls and Ann Babb, 47, of Los Gatos, Calif., were treated and released.

How the four are related to Charles Babb was not immediately known.

He was shot in the side when his girlfriend’s former boyfriend opened fire on the couple in Hauser Lake. Stephen Cherry killed Susan Foutz during the attack, according to authorities.

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