Pasco man rammed into the path of semi on Highway 17

A Pasco man ended up in the hospital after his pickup was shoved into the path of an oncoming semi.

Maurilo Romano-Tacuba, 29, of Pasco slowed his Nissan pickup to turn left from Highway 17 onto Highway 395 around 8 p.m. Friday, when Vali A. Lyons, 65, of Othello slammed into him from behind with a Dodge Ram, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The force pushed Romano-Tacuba’s pickup into the path of a semi heading south on Highway 17. The semi collided with the pickup.

Romano-Tacuba was rushed to Lourdes Medical Center, the state patrol said.

Lyons, along with the semi’s driver, Davis Lustig, 50, of Louisville, Ky., and passenger were not hurt.

Everyone was wearing their seat belts.

The Washington State Patrol said Lyons was not paying attention and cited him with second-degree negligent driving.

The crash closed Highway 17 for more than an hour.

This story was originally published October 6, 2018 at 12:02 PM.