Car-Truck Crash Injures 4, Tangles Traffic In Valley Wreck Forces Closure Of Mullan

A collision between a semitruck and a car Monday morning left four people hospitalized and traffic snarled for hours in the Spokane Valley.

About 11:30 a.m., the driver of a Plymouth Reliant westbound on Broadway ran the light at Mullan, sheriff’s Deputy Tim Downing said.

Unable to stop, the driver of a Western Family semitruck headed north on Mullan plowed into the vehicle and slid into a Ford Explorer, Downing said.

Doctors and health care professionals who work at nearby medical offices ran from their buildings to help care for the wounded and console shaken witnesses.

The Washington State Patrol identified the driver of the Plymouth as Robert M. Kelley, 45, of Veradale. Emergency crews from Spokane Valley Fire were forced to saw the roof off the crumpled car in order to remove Kelley.

Kelley suffered a collapsed left lung and fractured ribs and was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center, the patrol said.

Passengers in the car with Kelley were Kurt M. Kelley, 15, Dana Kelley, 9, and Rhonda Kelley, 13.

Kurt Kelley suffered a fractured nose and Dana and Rhonda Kelley suffered bumps and bruises.

They were transported to a local hospital.

The driver of the semi, Terry Mendenhall, 42, of Chattaroy, was not injured. The driver of the Explorer, Dena L. Wingett, 38, of Spokane, was not injured. Her passenger, Jess Wingett, sustained a bump on the head but was not hospitalized, the patrol said.

The accident reduced traffic on Mullan to one lane for an hour and eventually forced the closure of Mullan from Sprague to Broadway. Cars in each direction on Broadway were diverted down neighborhood roads.

Eastbound vehicles on Broadway that were stopped at the light between Argonne and Mullan when the accident occurred were not allowed to leave the scene until crews had removed the semi and the Plymouth.

Downing said citations may be issued. An investigation continues.