Young mother hurt in Interstate 82 crash with wrong-way driver in south Kennewick
An 82-year-old wrong-way driver was more than 200 miles from home when he got got into a head-on crash on Interstate 82 in Kennewick.
William D. Shuck of White Bird, Idaho, believed he was heading back home after a failed trip to the coast, when he got onto the off-ramp from Highway 395 to Interstate 82 about 9:45 p.m. Thursday, Washington State Trooper Sarah Clasen told the Tri-City Herald.
The first 911 call about the wrong way driver heading south in the northbound lane came in just minutes before his Chevy Equinox slammed into a Kia Sport, Clasen said.
The driver of the Sport, Jizelle Gonzalez, 20, of Hermiston, was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital. Her immediate condition was unknown, but Clasen said she had a severe cut on her hand.
Her 11-month-old son was also in the SUV, but not hurt, according to Washington State Patrol.
Shuck’s family wasn’t aware that he’d made the more than 200 mile trip from Idaho to Kennewick. It’s believed he has dementia. Clasen said his daughter had to make the three-hour trip to pick him up.
Shuck was cited by WSP for driving the wrong way, the state patrol said.