Homeless Western WA woman killed crossing Highway 395 north of Pasco

A 45-year-old Western Washington woman died while crossing Highway 395 north of Pasco.

Johanna M. Paul, of Kent, was crossing the northbound lanes of a dark stretch of highway near Foster Wells Road north of Pasco about 8:15 p.m. Monday, the Washington State Patrol said in a traffic memo.

A Dodge van hit her, and Paul died at the scene.

The van’s driver, Brayan Pires Torres, 22, of Richland, wasn’t hurt, the state patrol said.

Paul’s family said she was homeless and spent most of her time in Western Washington, Coroner Curtis McGary said. They were not sure why she was in the Tri-Cities or what she was doing in the largely industrial area of the city.

She had checked in with family members a couple weeks before, McGary said.

The coroner’s office plans to test her blood for alcohol or drugs.

The state patrol is continuing to investigate why Paul was crossing the road.

There are no charges related to the collision. The van was being driven by an Amazon contractor.

This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 9:59 AM.