3 WSDOT workers hurt by truck in Hwy 395 work zone in Kennewick
Three Washington state transportation workers were hurt when a pickup truck veered across Highway 395 and hit them in a work zone in Kennewick on Wednesday.
The Washington State Department of Transportation workers were doing road maintenance about 10:15 a.m. in the southbound lanes of Highway 395, Trooper Daniel Mosqueda told the Tri-City Herald.
Witnesses said a Dodge Dakota was heading north when it started pulling to the left and bounced off the concrete barrier in the middle of the highway near Yelm Street, Mosqueda said.
When the barrier ended north of Yelm Street, the truck crossed the southbound lanes and through the work site, hitting a DOT pickup and the three crew members.
One worker is seriously hurt, and the others suffered minor injuries, he said.
The pickup continued through a fence and ended up stopping in the middle of a grassy area.
The workers along with the driver were taken to local hospitals.
The driver, Jerrold L. Williams, 83, of Kennewick, was taken to Trios Health, along with two of the workers, David A. Budau, 40, and Aaron R. Gunter, 41, both of Kennewick.
The third worker, Richard S. Garcia, 25, of Pasco, was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.
The driver of the pickup was not hurt, said the WSP.
Investigators suspect Williams suffered a medical problem, Mosqueda said. He later told investigators the last thing he remembered before the crash was stopping for gas.
It hasn’t been determined if he will face charges.
The crash shut down a southbound lane of traffic for more than four hours, Mosqueda said.
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM.