Driver killed in foggy crash identified. His truck was hit by a semi on Highway 12

A 63-year-old Pomeroy man died after being hit by a semi on a foggy Wednesday morning on Highway 12 in Pasco.

Eric L. Wommack was driving a white Ford Ranger west on the highway about 8:40 a.m., when it was hit by a semi hauling a double tanker trailer, a Washington State Patrol memo said.

The semi driver, Alvin E. Ortiz, 50, of Richland, was reportedly pulling across both lanes of Highway 12 from Sacajawea Park Road toward Tank Farm Road at the time.

The pickup truck driver was trapped in the wreckage and died, according to initial dispatch reports.

One of the pickup driver’s co-workers stopped at the scene and was able to give investigators information about his identity, Washington State Patrol Trooper Sarah Clasen told the Tri-City Herald.

Garfield County sheriff’s deputies notified his family about the crash.

The semi driver was not hurt in the crash.

The state patrol has determined that Ortiz caused the crash. Drugs or alcohol were not involved.

Tank Farm Road is next to the Snake River just before the highway crosses into Walla Walla County.

While state patrol investigators have not officially determined what caused the crash, heavy fog in the area likely played a role, Clasen said. State patrol had reports of multiple crashes in the area Wednesday morning.

Tank Farm Road feeds into Tidewater Terminal Co.., where they store barge shipments of gas, renewable diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol.

It’s not clear what company the semi driver was working for and what was being hauled. No spill was reported.

The Pasco location is one of five the company operates along Columbia and Snake rivers in Washington and Oregon.

The Washington State Patrol advised drivers in the area to be careful because the thick fog regularly forms in the area and below freezing temperatures can leave roadways slick and visibility low.

This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 10:20 AM.