1 dead, 3 hospitalized in crash near Spokane International Airport

May 8-A person was killed and three were hospitalized with serious injuries after a car slammed into a pole Friday morning near the Spokane International Airport.

The single-vehicle crash was reported at about 7:30 a.m. at Airport Drive between Spotted and Flint roads, according to a Spokane Police Department news release.

Officer Tricia Leming, spokeswoman for the department, said alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

The police department's Major Crimes Unit is investigating the crash, the release said. The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office will release the name of the person who died.

The area was shut down for several hours as crews investigated, causing some traffic backups.

The intersection at Airport Drive and Spotted Road has long been a safety concern among airport officials, and the Airport Board has approved a plan to replace the intersection with an interchange. Spotted Road will go over Airport Drive in a plan funded mostly by a $23 million federal grant.

Spotted Road carries about 2,600 vehicles on its roadway every day, while Airport Drive carries an average of 16,500 vehicles on weekdays, according to the airport's website.

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