2 DUI crashes in Kennewick send drivers to the hospital

A 73-year-old man is accused of driving drunk when he flipped his ATV at a busy Kennewick intersection.

Investigators say the man was driving a Polaris RZR east on Kennewick Avenue shortly before 7:15 p.m. Sunday when he hit a curb, Kennewick police posted on Facebook. The off-road vehicle was considered legal to be driving on city streets.

As he approached the intersection with Yelm Street, he lost control and the RZR flipped onto its side. It slid for several feet before stopping and he was trapped inside, according to several 911 callers.

Kennewick firefighters freed the man, whose name was not released, and took him to a local hospital. While his injuries are serious, police said he is expected to make a full recovery.

He wasn’t arrested because of his injuries but was cited for DUI, said a police release.

▪ That was second serious weekend crash in Kennewick caused by someone suspected of driving drunk.

At 5:30 p.m. Friday, a motorcyclist was believed to be under influence after running head-on into a pickup truck in the center turn lane near the intersection of 10th Avenue and Olympia Street in Kennewick.

The motorcyclist, whose name was not released, was not wearing a helmet, and was treated at a local hospital, said a Kennewick police social media post.