Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
EASTON – A Hooper man is among four drivers who struck two pedestrians on Interstate 90 on Sunday night, Sept. 10.
Both pedestrians died at the scene, the Washington State Patrol reported, their names are being withheld pending notification of kin.
Caleb M. Hudson, 26, of Hooper, was not injured in the fatal incident that occurred at about 8:51 p.m., the patrol said. Hudson was the fourth driver in a line of vehicles who struck the pedestrians near Milepost 70.
The patrol listed the cause of the fatalities as illegal crossing of interstate; none of the drivers are expected to face charges.
According to the patrol, all four motorists were westbound at the time of the incident; the pedestrians were attempting to cross in front of traffic.
The first car was driven by Stephanie Hernandez, 24, of Benton City. She had two passengers – Carlos A. Zuniga Estrada, 30, and Camila Zuniga-Estrada, 2, both of Benton City – in her 2011 Ford Explorer, the patrol reported.
Jason D. Crandall, 44, of Edwood, was driving the second vehicle, a 2017 Toyota Tundra towing a 2005 Triton boat. He had four passengers – Echo Crandall-Hill, 4, Fletcher Crandall-Hill, 7, Truett Crandall-Hill, 4 and Hansina R. Hill, 47, all of Edgewood, the patrol reported.
The third vehicle, a 2008 Kia Optima, was driven by Madison L. Young, 21, of Tacoma, the patrol said. She didn’t have any passengers.
Hudson was driving the fourth vehicle, a 2020 Dodge Charger, the patrol said. He did not have any passengers.
None of the drivers or their passengers were injured, the patrol said, noting all were wearing seatbelts.
Troopers have yet to determine if drugs or alcohol was a factor in the fatal crash.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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