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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Montana teens killed in I-90 crash

Family was going to Seattle for girl’s medical care

A 16-year-old Great Falls girl killed in a double-fatal accident in Post Falls was on her way to Seattle for medical care in advance of a kidney transplant.

Destiney S. Moore was traveling Tuesday with her mother, her 17-year-old boyfriend and another child when the vehicle that the mother was driving crossed the median of Interstate 90 in Post Falls and struck three other vehicles. Moore died at the scene.

The boyfriend, Michael L. Martinez, also of Great Falls, died at Kootenai Medical Center after the 6:11 p.m. collision, according to Idaho State Police.

The accident involved four vehicles carrying 11 people, five of whom suffered injuries, making it one of the worst in the region in recent history.

Gene Menghini, of Great Falls, the great-grandfather of Destiney Moore, said that the teenager was being treated by physicians at Children’s Hospital in Seattle after receiving a kidney transplant a number of years ago.

The transplanted kidney was failing, so she was on a list to receive another one, he said.

“She’s been going (to Seattle) for about seven years,” he said.

He described her as someone who never complained. “She smiled no matter what was going on,” he said. “She was wonderful.”

Police said that the mother, Tracy M. Moore, 34, of Great Falls, was headed west when she lost control of her 2001 Ford Expedition, causing the vehicle to cross into the eastbound lanes and collide with the three other vehicles, all driven by Spokane Valley residents.

She was taken to KMC and transferred to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where she was in satisfactory condition Wednesday.

Another passenger in her vehicle, daughter Perralisa P. Kessler, 5, was also taken to KMC, then transferred to Sacred Heart. She was listed in satisfactory condition Wednesday.

One of the eastbound drivers, Marcia Thomas, 57, of Spokane Valley, was taken to KMC and transferred to Sacred Heart, where she was reported in critical condition Wednesday.

Her passenger, Richard Thomas, 75, was taken to KMC and transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Wednesday. Thomas was in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Harborview, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Lt. Chris Schenck said the accident remained under investigation Wednesday, and it was too early to determine how much snow, ice or travel speed may have played into the cause.

He said alcohol was ruled out.

“It’s very tragic,” Schenck said.

The driver of a third vehicle, a 2007 Dodge pickup, was identified as Evan B. Kinnick, 27, of Spokane Valley. He was taken to KMC and treated, then released.

A fourth vehicle, a 1998 Dodge Durango, was driven by Christina A. Eschliman, 22, of Spokane Valley. She and three passengers were not hurt, police said.