Region’s snowmageddon car crashes topped 700. Tri-Cities area had nearly half

Troopers were still interviewing people nearly a week after winter drivers met up with wind-whipped snow on Interstate 82, sending 10 vehicles careening into each other on the slick roadway.

The pileup is just one of 705 crashes along highways and interstates between the Oregon border and Connell last week, Trooper Chris Thorson said. Most of those were tied to a series of snowstorms that swept into the region on Friday and kept its grip on the area for the rest of the week..

The Tri-Cities portion of the state patrol district had almost half of the 705 total wrecks, logging 351 crashes during last week’s storms. In comparison, the Yakima area had 144 crashes and the Sunnyside area had 184.

One of the worst winter storms in recent years struck Feb. 9, resulting in 136 crashes in Kennewick. The snow combined with 25 mph winds to slash visibility and sent drifts across the highways. By mid-afternoon, the Washington State Department of Transportation closed Interstate 82 south of Kennewick and shut down a portion of Highway 240 west of Richland.

The closures were unprecedented for the Department of Transportation, said Summer Derrey, a WSDOT spokeswoman. They had full crews and brought some additional equipment into the area in preparation, but the whiteout conditions, lightweight snow and widespread nature of the storm made it difficult for maintenance crews to keep roadways clear.

“We had six routes closed,” said Derrey. “We were definitely prepared.”

It was during a closure on Interstate 82 when the State Patrol responded to one of the biggest wrecks. The state patrol still hasn’t released the details about the crash, but it reportedly left four people seriously injured and sent several others to local hospitals. Thorson said nobody died in the crash, adding that none of those involved are currently hospitalized.

The wild weather also left hundreds of cars stranded along the highway as well.

A series of crashes on Highway 395 on Feb. 12 also caused delays for drivers.

Many of the crashes were caused by people driving too fast in the snow. With more winter weather possibly heading for the Tri-Cities, Thorson advised people to understand the capability of their vehicle and evaluate their own driving ability in bad road conditions. A rear-wheel drive sports car is not going to handle as well as a four-wheel drive SUV, he said.

This story was originally published February 20, 2019 at 12:45 PM.