1 dead in head-on Highway 224 crash. It was the 2nd fatal in Benton County that night

A Benton City man in in jail after a Sunnyside driver died in a head-on crash 1 mile east of Benton City on Highway 224 Saturday evening, according to the Washington State Patrol.

It was one of two deadly crashes on state highways in Benton County the same night.

In the crash near Benton City, Matthew D. Mason, 32, of Benton City, was driving west on Highway 224 about 8 p.m.

His GMC Sierra pickup crossed the center line and hit an eastbound Acura TSX sedan, according to WSP.

Antonio D. Aguirre, 35, of Sunnyside, was driving the sedan on Highway 224 near East Sandstone Lane. He died before he could be taken to a hospital.

Mason was taken to the Benton County jail on suspicion of vehicular homicide, according to the jail roster.

Mason’s pickup rolled after it hit Aguirre’s car, and Mason was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland before being booked into jail.

Neither vehicle had passengers, and both drivers were wearing seat belts. The cause was still under investigation, said the initial WSP report.

The other fatal crash in Benton County on Saturday evening was on Highway 240 near Richland.

A motorcycle driver was killed and a Washington State Police trooper was arrested and booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide in that crash.

This story was originally published March 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM.