Eastern WA dust storm causes deadly highway semitruck chain-reaction pileup

KENNEWICK – A man from Spokane is dead and a woman was taken to a Tri-Cities hospital after a six-vehicle pileup, including three semitrucks, Saturday evening on U.S. Highway 395.

Winds whipped through the Benton and Franklin County region on Saturday afternoon and evening, blowing dust and sand, and in some places wildfire smoke, across roadways, reducing visibility.

Wind gusts of up to 45 mph were recorded at the Pasco airport Saturday.

Both crashes were near where the highway curves to the northeast, and the Washington State Patrol said vehicles were traveling too fast for conditions.

The highway was closed in both directions after the first crash but had reopened when the bigger collision happened.

In the six-vehicle pileup, the three trucks and three cars were all heading north about 6:30 p.m.

A semi driven by Oleg Kolesnyk, 54, of Auburn, Washington, crashed into a semi driven by Efren Guerrero, 55, of Moxee, Washington, according to a WSP report.

Then, Andrew E. Thomas, 29, of Spokane, crashed his Ford van into the second semi.

He died before he could be taken to a hospital. The WSP did not know whether he had been wearing a seat belt.

Thomas’ van was hit by a GMC Yukon carrying a family of four, including children ages 6 and 8, said the WSP report.

A truck driven by Geovanie A. Ramirez, 24, of Bakersfield, California, then hit the Yukon.

No one in the Yukon, driven by Katelyn Croisetiere of Absarokee, Montana, or any of the truck drivers were hurt seriously enough to be taken to a hospital.

However, Croisetiere and a passenger with no age available, plus the driver of the first truck, were listed as suffering some injuries.

The sixth vehicle involved was a Chrysler Town and Country driven by Marita J. Little, 83, of Spokane, which crashed into Ramirez’s truck, according to the WSP.

She was wearing a seat belt and was taken by ambulance to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. Kadlec listed her in satisfactory condition Sunday.

In the earlier wreck, a truck driven by Ovidiu Botan, of Sandpoint, slowed for traffic about 4:20 p.m. near the curve of Highway 395.

His truck was hit by a Kia Optima driven by Lawrence Richins, 64, of Pasco, according to the WSP. Both were traveling north.

Richins was taken to Kadlec, where he was in critical condition Sunday.

Highway 395 was closed in both directions near Connell about 5:15 p.m. Saturday.