Woman seriously injured in collision

A 68-year-old woman was critically injured in a head-on collision Monday that forced authorities to close Wandermere Road for three hours.

Spokane County sheriff’s traffic investigator Dave Thornburg said the crash occurred at 2 p.m. when a northbound Nissan pickup driven by 30-year-old Christopher L. Knudson crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a southbound 2001 Oldsmobile.

Knudson was treated for neck and knee pain, and released from a Spokane hospital, sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.

Two boys in the pickup with Knudson, ages 3 months and 10 months, were riding in child-restraint seats. Neither was injured.

Berta M. LaFranchise, 68, suffered broken limbs and internal chest injuries.

She was airlifted by a MedStar helicopter to Deaconess Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition Monday night.

Firefighters cut the roof off the Oldsmobile to extract LaFranchise from the vehicle.

All parties involved in the crash were wearing seatbelts, Reagan said.

Thornburg said evidence indicated that LaFranchise saw the Nissan pickup approaching in her lane and swerved right to the shoulder to avoid the collision. She was unable to avoid the pickup, which struck her Oldsmobile nearly head-on, Reagan said.

Wandermere Road was closed from Elto Avenue to Dartford Drive, Reagan said.