Second woman may die after Pasco interstate pileup, say investigators

A second driver may die after Saturday’s multi-car pileup, allegedly caused by a man speeding through Pasco after arguing with his girlfriend.

Eduardo Lopez, 22, initially denied being behind the wheel when his car smashed into the back of an SUV, sending that car through the median and into oncoming traffic on Interstate 182, court documents show.

The Kennewick man then changed his story, saying he was driving and remembered hitting something, but was not aware of what happened afterward, documents said.

Lopez claimed he had two energy drinks with alcohol before leaving his home.

He surrendered to police Sunday afternoon, about 16 hours after Kimberly D. Youngblood was killed when her overturned SUV was hit by other cars.

On Monday, Lopez appeared in Franklin County Superior Court.

Charges due up Wednesday

Judge Alex Ekstrom found probable cause to hold him on $1 million bail on suspicion of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and hit-and-run with a death.

Prosecutors have until Wednesday to file charges or release him.

If charged, Lopez may face a second count of vehicular homicide.

Detective Scott A. Neustel with the Washington State Patrol wrote in his four-page probable-cause affidavit that another driver, Michelle L. Scheuerman, had been taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, including head trauma.

Investigators spoke with Scheuerman’s husband on Monday and he advised that the Pasco woman was not expected to live, Neustel wrote.

Scheuerman, 48, was driving a Ford Mustang that was the first vehicle to hit Youngblood’s overturned Jeep Grand Cherokee after it had been pushed across the highway into the westbound lanes, according to a state patrol report.

Three cars in all hit the Jeep, while two pickups had minor damage after hitting debris. Three other people here hospitalized with various injuries.

Driver died at the scene

Lopez allegedly was eastbound on I-182 at 8:30 p.m. Saturday when he came up on Youngblood’s Jeep at a high rate of speed.

His Chrysler Sebring rear-ended the SUV, causing both to lose control.

Lopez’s Chrysler became stuck in an embankment in the median, while Youngblood’s Jeep went across the median, the state patrol report said. Youngblood, 44, of Benton City died at the scene.

Omar L. Lopez, 33, suffered facial injuries and a broken right hand after his Nissan Altima hit the Jeep. He was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane because of the severity of his injuries, the report said.

His passenger, 31-year-old Nallely Lopez, went to Kadlec with a broken left arm.

And another driver Rosa Valenzuela, 25, was released after being treated.

Suspect tried to drive off, then ran

One witness reported seeing the Chrysler speeding before the crash, but investigators are still following up with people to see if anyone saw the actual collision, said Neustel.

Troopers who responded to the crash scene between the Road 68 and Road 100 exits, realized that the driver of the Chrysler was nowhere to be found. They even checked with hospitals to see if someone had been dropped off.

The Chrysler’s front airbags were activated, and troopers found paperwork inside showing it was registered to Lopez.

It appeared Lopez “attempted to drive the vehicle out of the median — marks in the soft dirt and mud indicating the vehicle attempted to move but was stuck,” wrote Neustel in the court document.

He couldn’t be found Saturday night.

He allegedly came home with neck pain

Then on Sunday, a state patrol lieutenant and detective sergeant learned from Lopez’s relatives that he had moved in with his girlfriend about a week ago, the court document said.

They told investigators that Lopez left his girlfriend’s Kennewick home the previous evening in his car, and returned later without the car and complaining of neck pain, the document said.

About the same time, Lopez called 911 and eventually agreed to turn himself in.

Lopez initially said someone else had taken his Chrysler Sebring and he was not involved, then admitted he had been driving, said court documents.

After his arrest, he told investigators he was upset about an argument with his girlfriend, but denied speeding before the crash, the document said.

After running from the scene, Lopez reportedly called a friend and asked for a ride home.

This story was originally published February 4, 2019 at 8:22 PM.