Gusting winds topple trees, trucks and power lines around Tri-Cities region

Sunday’s windstorm tore down power lines, uprooted trees and caused problems for drivers around the Mid-Columbia region.

Power was still out Monday morning for some customers in Franklin County after power poles toppled like dominoes.

So many tumbleweeds clogged Van Giesen Street near Keene Road in West Richland that it was closed for a short time Sunday afternoon. A plow truck was brought in to clear the road and reopen it.

The top of Rattlesnake Mountain recorded a gust of 82 mph.

In town, the strongest recorded blast was 49 mph at the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco.

Even stronger gusts from 64-74 mph were felt near Pendleton and Helix, Ore., according to the National Weather Service.

A large maple tree along Kennewick Avenue near downtown was uprooted by the wind, damaged a parked car but no one was hurt.

Earlier on Sunday, three people were injured when four cars collided on Interstate 82 south of Kennewick as blowing dust obscured the roadway.

The eastbound lanes highway were closed while the Washington State Patrol investigated and visibility improved.

The crash happened in the eastbound lanes about 11 miles south of Kennewick when a Umatilla driver of a GMC Yukon ran into a Nissan Frontier driven by Martin Montoya, 46, of Pasco.

Then, they collided with a Toyota Rav4 driven by a Stanfield woman and a Hermiston woman’s Toyota Prius parked on the shoulder of the highway.

Montoya and his passenger, Rosa Galindo, 45, of Pasco were taken to Trios Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Yukon driver, Maria G. Zamudio Mejia, 44, was also taken to Trios and was later cited for negligent driving, said the WSP. Two children, ages 4 and 11, in her SUV were not hurt.

In Franklin County, sheriff’s deputies warned of blowing dust and debris, especially on rural roads near agricultural fields, and power poles were knocked over on Frontier Road between Phend and Falls roads.

In Oregon, a power line that fell near Meacham closed Interstate 84 in both directions for two hours between Pendleton and La Grande, said the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Also, Highway 11 between Pendleton and Milton-Freewater was closed when a semi truck blew over and there were other crashes and debris in the roadway.

And Highway 204 was closed between Weston and Elgin because of high wind hazards.

This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 11:33 AM.