UPDATE: Hanford worker identified after semi and car collide near Richland
A Benton City driver was killed Thursday morning when his car collided with a semi truck on Highway 240 just outside of Richland.
Gerald Harris, 66, died in the crash shortly after 5:30 a.m. near the exit for Highway 225 and Route 10 at the edge of the Hanford nuclear reservation site.
The man was a member of the carpenter’s union and worked at the Hanford site.
Harris was heading north on Highway 225 in a Volkswagen Jetta and didn’t stop for the semi heading east on Highway 240 as he headed toward Hanford, the Washington State Patrol said.
The semi hit the car and Harris was died at the scene near the Horn Rapids Wanawish Dam north of Richland.
Harris was not wearing his seat belt.
The semi’s driver, Heriberto Mejia, 27, of Desert Aire, was not hurt.
The crash closed the northbound lanes of the highway for about an hour during prime commuting travel time for Hanford workers.
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 9:54 AM.