West Valley Students Hurt In Crash

Thu., Jan. 21, 1999

By Angie Gaddy angieg@spokesman.com

Four West Valley High School students were injured in a head-on collision early Sunday along Upriver Drive.

The four girls were injured - one seriously - when an oncoming car crossed the center line and slammed into their car just east of Boulder Beach at around 2 a.m.

Washington State Patrol officials said alcohol was involved.

WSP officers said a car driven by Heather N. McInereny, 19, of Otis Orchards, was westbound on Upriver. The roadway was icy and McInerney’s 1993 Mercury Bobcat collided head-on with a 1986 Subaru Justy driven by Johni Nicholson, 17.

Passengers in Nicholson’s car were Jessika Anderson, 18, Melissa Dahlquist, 18, and Amber Fleisher, 16.

All four girls in Nicholson’s car are cheerleaders at West Valley High.

Fleisher was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center, where she was reported to be in serious condition.

Dahlquist is in stable condition at Holy Family Hospital.

Anderson was treated and released from Holy Family.

State troopers said Nicholson suffered minor injuries and was not taken to hospital.

All four occupants of the Subaru were wearing seat belts.

The other driver, McInernery, was taken to Sacred Heart, where she was listed in serious condition. Troopers said she was not wearing a seat belt. Both cars were totaled.

McInerney had been drinking and troopers found an alcoholic beverage container in the car, said WSP spokesman Lt. Bruce Clark.

He said no alcohol was found in the Subaru, but he added that investigators believe all four occupants had been drinking.

West Valley High School has a student activities policy that forbids use of alcohol or drugs, said athletic director Wayne McKnight.

Right now, school officials are trying to determine the health of the girls and contact family and friends, McKnight said. He said school officials won’t look into punishment until the investigation is over and the girls are safe.

If it’s determined that they were drinking that night, discipline might include alcohol and drug education classes and loss of attending school events, he said.

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