2 dead in 2 crashes Thursday morning near Ritzville

Icy conditions may have been a factor in two crashes near Ritzville that resulted in two deaths early Thursday.

In the first crash, driver Sonny Zeko, 32, of Boise was killed on Interstate 90, 1 mile west of Ritzville, when at about 5:30 a.m. his car left the roadway. The vehicle rolled down the embankment, ejecting Zeko, who was declared dead at the scene. The vehicle was traveling eastbound at the time of the crash, said Washington State Trooper Jeff Sevigney.

In the other crash, which happened just an hour later, a passenger was killed and a driver sent to the hospital after their westbound car left the roadway 15 miles east of Ritzville. Washington State Patrol has identified the passenger as Jolene E. Swan, 53, of Great Falls; the driver was identified as Samuel R. Pernell, 61, of Spokane.

Sevigney said troopers reported icy roads west of Spokane. The crashes are still under investigation, but he said the vehicles were likely traveling too fast for conditions.

No other vehicles were involved.