Former Tri-Cities cannabis business owner dies after car flips south of Kennewick

The 37-year-old former owner of a cannabis production company died Tuesday evening when his car crashed on a rural Benton County road.

Austin L. Kenyon of Kennewick lost control when he was approaching a corner too fast, said Benton County sheriff’s investigators.

Lt. Jason Erickson said he was headed north on Nine Canyon Road south of Highway 397 about 6 p.m.

When he tried to turn, he lost control and the car flipped. He was thrown from the car and died at the scene, said Erickson.

Detectives planned to head back to the crash site Wednesday to continue their investigation into what happened.

Benton County Coroner Bill Leach identified Kenyon as the driver.

Kenyon was one of the owners of Trichrome Tech 509.

The Finley company grew 22 strains of marijuana for 20 different stores in the state, according to 2018 story in the online publication Hempbiz.

Trichrome Tech 509

Austin Kenyon and his mom, Roberta, started the company in 2014.

The business had grown to become a Tier 2 operation under state law in 2018, producing 22 strains under the name Trichrome Tech 509.

It is unclear if the business is still operating. Social media and websites for Trichrome Tech 509 are either outdated or shut down. The most recent photos from the business were posted in 2019.

The business listing with the state Department of Revenue says the business went inactive in 2020, and the Liquor and Cannabis Board doesn’t have an active license listed for the company.

In a December 2019 Facebook post, Kenyon said he was starting a new business.

A Pasco company, Three Rivers Cannabis, took over the production license at the Gerards Road location in 2019, according to state records.

A fire in November 2019 damaged much of the second floor of the business on South Gerards Road. Damages at the time were estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.