Overnight collisions send WSP trooper, 2 others to hospital

A pair of overnight traffic collisions sent three people, including a Washington State Patrol trooper who ran a red light, to the hospital. Shortly after 11 p.m., a WSP vehicle driven by 43-year-old Paul Wanzenreid entered the intersection of North Ash Street and West Maxwell Avenue in West Central Spokane on a red light, according to a news release. His Ford Interceptor was struck by a Toyota sedan driven by Christopher Sutton, 34, who had the yellow light at the intersection, according to the news release. Both men were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision. According to the collision report, Wanzenreid was at fault for failing to obey traffic signals, but Sutton took off from the scene and was later arrested on suspicion of DUI, hit and run and driving with a suspended license. Wanzenreid was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center and released. Sutton did not report injuries. Earlier in the evening, a collision on state Highway 2 north of Spokane resulted in injuries to Melissa Hughes, 34, and a 10-year-old girl who was a passenger in Hughes’ Subaru compact car. Hughes was trying to turn south onto the highway from a parking lot ahead of a pickup truck traveling north when the two vehicles collided around 9:30 p.m. Hughes, the girl and 62-year-old Kenneth Cramer, the driver of the pickup, were all wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, according to the WSP. Cramer’s pickup was totaled in the collision, but he reported no injuries. The Subaru was also totaled. Hughes and the girl were transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center. Hughes was listed in satisfactory condition. A hospital spokesperson declined to release the girl’s condition because parental approval is required to do so and has not been given.