Harrowing Eastern WA dust storm came ‘out of nowhere’ and turned deadly
Tayler Blanco and her family were heading home to the Tri-Cities on Highway 395 when suddenly the air outside of their car became thick with sand.
“It was probably the scariest moment of my life,” she told the Tri-City Herald. “There were many times the storm was so thick that you could not see anything around you.”
Blanco, her husband and their 2 1/2-year-old toddler were among dozens of travelers surprised by a dust storm that blinded drivers on Highway 395 Saturday afternoon.
High winds with gusts up to 45 mph cut visibility on the busy divided highway to just feet.
It’s believed to have led to two crashes involving at least eight cars and semi trucks, leaving one man dead and another in critical condition.John Riggs took a picture of a dust storm near Connell that killed one driver and left several people stranded on Highway 395 on May 31. Courtesy John Riggs
Blanco and her family were returning home from the Hot Wheels Monster Truck Show in Spokane on Saturday afternoon. The wind was blowing, but visibility on the highway stayed relatively clear.
That changed suddenly when they approached Connell about 4 p.m.
“It was so weird. It’s like it just showed up out of nowhere and you would think something that big would be able to see it. … You couldn’t see anything until it was too late. It almost felt like we were in a movie.”
They pulled to the side of the road and put on their blinkers, and Blanco worried that someone would run into them while they waited for the road to clear. The possibility was made more frightening because her son was in the backseat.
They waited for 30 minutes in the blowing dust until a police car drove through the brown cloud with the emergency lights on. They decided to follow the car because they believed the officer was trying to lead them out of the storm.
“We just went slow like him and followed him out,” she said. Along the way, Blanco spotted the burning wreckage from the first of two crashes linked to the dust storm. The crash left a man in critical condition.
Drivers in the northbound lanes had started being turned around and led out of the blowing dirt.
“The rest of the drive home was very windy and mostly massive tumbleweeds flying, but nothing like that. I am still shocked at what happened,” she said.
Open farmland and plains, strong winds and dry conditions often combine in the area to create dust storms, said Meagan Lott, the Department of Transportation communication manager for the South Central Region.
“Because the land is mostly farmland and open plains, wind can easily pick up loose soil and create sudden whiteout conditions,” she said.
The Department of Transportation had shut down about seven miles of the highway starting at where both collisions occurred for about four hours between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., Lott said.
John Riggs was also on the Highway 395 when he was caught in the dust storm Saturday. He posted his thoughts on 92.9-FM The Bull’s website. He snapped a photo from the shoulder of Highway 395.
He had spent the day in Spokane and was heading to Yakima. He also said the drive started as windy until it became hazy and then he couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him.
“It was the most scared I’ve felt in a long time on the road,” he wrote. “Well, scared may not be the right word. But this situation certainly put me in full-focus mode. I had to use every ounce of my attention and ‘smart thinking’ skills.”Andrew Thomas’ wife Lauren Ballenger is raising money to help with funeral costs following his sudden death in a crash on Highway 395. Courtesy GoFundMe Just starting their lives
The 6:30 p.m. crash killed Spokane native Andrew E. Thomas, 29, of Spokane.
Thomas was heading home in a van when he collided with two crashed semi trucks, his wife, Lauren Ballenger, said in a GoFundMe campaign.
“Andrew was the sweetest human I knew. He was the hardest worker. He cared for animals deeply, helping several nonprofit animal rescues,” she wrote. “He always made sure I had everything I needed and supported me no matter what. His kindness had no limit.”
They recently bought a house and planned to fix it up and make a chicken coop. They had planned more improvements.
“My heart has been shattered into pieces and I am so lost,” she said. “I have no choice but to re-list our new house for sale and accept that loss.” Driving safely in the dust storm
The conditions on Saturday were worse than driving on icy roads or in heavy snows, Riggs said.
He pointed out that Washington state driving tests don’t teach potential drivers about how to handle these situations. And people need to learn how to do it when they’re forced to.
Washington State Trooper Daniel Mosqueda said driving in a dust storm is much like driving in the fog. Drivers must slow down so they have time to react if there’s something blocking the road ahead of them.
The Washington State Department of Ecology recommends pulling safely off of the road if you’re caught driving when a dust storm hits. They also say people should: * Turn off their lights to stop other cars from believing they’re moving. * Set the emergency brake. * Shut the windows and vents and stay buckled in the car.
If you aren’t able to pull safely off the road, then: * Slow down to a safe speed. * Turn on headlights and hazard lights. * Honk the horn occasionally.