2 women die, 4 children hurt in wrong-way crash on Highway 395

Two women died and four children were among those hurt after a Toyota Prius was driven the wrong direction on Highway 395 Sunday evening.

The Prius hit a Dodge van head-on about 15 miles north of Connell, not far from the Cunningham Road entrance to the highway, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The Prius crashed into the van, which was apparently carrying a Ritzville family, about 6 p.m.

Ramona Gonzales, 57, of Spokane, was driving the Prius south in the northbound lanes of the highway, according to WSP reports.

She died along with a one of the two adults in the van, Jessica Cody, 36, of Ritzville. Neither survived long enough to be taken to a hospital, according to the WSP.

The driver of the van, Jeremiah Cody, 34, of Ritzville, was taken to East Adams Rural Hospital in Ritzville.

One of the children in the van, a girl whose age was not available, was flown by air ambulance to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

A 5-year-old and 7-year-old in the van also were taken to Sacred Heart, according to police reports.

The fourth child, a 12-year-old, was taken to the Ritzville hospital.

Gonzales had no passengers in her car.

The state patrol continues to investigate how she ended up driving the wrong way.

This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 12:28 PM.