Accused wrong-way driver appears in court

An accused drunk driver who killed a Yakima man on Memorial Day is facing a charge of vehicular homicide.

Gregorio J. Chayrez Jr., 29, of Pasco, pleaded innocent in Benton County Superior Court on Thursday.

Authorities claim Chayrez of driving the wrong way on Interstate 182 near Wellsian Way in Richland. His Dodge Caliber hit a Ford Escort driven by Norman D. Simpson Jr. of Yakima, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Drugs or alcohol were involved in the 7 a.m. crash, according to state patrol reports.

Simpson, 55, died at the scene of the head-on collision. Two passengers in his car weren't hurt.

Chayrez required medical treatment and was not booked into jail until Tuesday.

It was the second Tri-Cities-area fatality in May blamed on a wrong-way collision on the divided highway.

An elderly Pasco man died May 18 after getting onto the eastbound side of Interstate 182 and driving for several miles before hitting a semi truck.

Chayrez is being held in the Benton County jail on $500,000 bail. His trial is set July 23.

His court-appointed attorney, Megan Whitmire, said Thursday that would ask for a lower bail next week.

Court records show that Chayrez pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance in 2011. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary after a late 2012 incident.

In that case, Chayrez was asked to leave a birthday party after getting into a fight. He returned to the Pasco home and forced his way inside and started another fight, according to police reports.

This story was originally published May 31, 2018 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Accused wrong-way driver appears in court."