Washout Causes 2 Crashes, Hurts 3

2 vehicles are buried nose first into a washout that caused the crashes and sent 3 to the hospital early this morning. (Photo: KCSD)

More than three-quarters of an inch of rain fell at Spokane International Airport on Wednesday, breaking a more than 60-year-old record and, coupled with melting snow, flooding some area roads. A culvert failure after heavy water flow is being blamed for a road washout north of Hayden Lake. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said the washout on North Rimrock Road created a gap in the roadway 10 feet across and eight feet deep after a water main break. Two vehicles drove into the crater, and three people were injured. Clifton McMahon, 24, of Hayden; Melissa Ehrmantraut, 31, of Post Falls; and Anthony Moreno, 47, of Coeur d’Alene were all taken to Kootenai Health. Rimrock Road is closed between Lakeview Drive and Lancaster Road while crews work to repair the road, the Sheriff’s Office said/SR. More here .

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