Victims named in Friday’s deadly crash on Snoqualmie Pass

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. – Authorities have identified the two people killed in a chain-reaction crash Friday morning on Snoqualmie Pass as Ronald residents.

Richard B. Slightam, 52, and Carmen L. Lang, 50, were riding in the same car and died at the scene just west of the summit on Interstate 90, according to a news release Saturday from the Washington State Patrol.

The semi driver accused of causing the crash has been identified as Daryel Rueda, a 24-year-old Zillah man. He was booked into the King County Jail on suspicion of two counts of vehicular homicide.

WSP investigators said they suspect he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. Rueda lost control of an empty car hauler and veered across all westbound lanes before the rig came to rest. Lang and Slightam were in the first car to hit the semi, and they were also hit by another vehicle.

The other motorists in the eight-vehicle crash, which included a second tractor-trailer, were also from Central Washington, according to the WSP.

They were identified as Mac C. Nelson, 33, of South Cle Elum; Michael I. Jakub, 24, of Yakima; Cyndi E. Jasper, 50, of Wenatchee; Joseph M. Laskody, 50, of Ronald; Robin P. Laskody, 50, of Ronald; Sean N. Kosney, 50, of Ronald; and Jason L. Pitner, 44, of Selah.

Jakub, Jasper, Joseph Laskody and Robin Laskody were taken to a Bellevue hospital for treatment of what the patrol reported were non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident closed the westbound lanes of I-90 for much of the day Friday.