Two people were tragically killed in a chain-reaction semi accident at 6:19 am on Friday, February 5, 2106. They were in the same car and died at the scene on Interstate 90 just west of the summit near mile marker 52. The semi driver who allegedly caused the accident was arrested on suspicion of two counts of vehicular homicide. Investigators say he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident. Toxicology results are pending.
The semi driver, a 24-year-old man of Zillah, allegedly lost control of an empty car hauler and went across all westbound lanes of the highway. The people who died were in the first car that was hit. Five others were injured in the accident and taken to the hospital.
Accidents involving semi trailer trucks are always going to be more serious and life-threatening than accidents between passenger cars, but adding drugs into the mix makes this tragedy more egregious. The trucking industry is heavily monitored by the government and subject to many regulations that may have been violated in this accident.
