Two truck drivers were cited after a second tractor trailer plows through overturned semi truck investigation involving the first, sending an officer diving into barbed wire to avoid being hit.
The first accident happened on Sunday night at around 10 p.m. on October 15th in Cle Elum, Wasington on westbound I-90.
According to KATU 2 News, the first semi truck left I-90 for unknown reasons and overturned, prompting a response from Washington DOT and Washington State Patrol. As the agencies were investigating, a second semi truck crashed into the DOT truck. The unoccupied DOT truck was then pushed into the patrol car with a trooper inside.
Another trooper outside of the patrol car was forced to jump out of the way to avoid being hit in the wreck. He landed in some barbed wire fence, but avoided being struck by any of the wrecked vehicles.
Both officers were taken to the hospital for evaluation.
“This could’ve been really, really, really bad and I don’t want to take anything away from what these guys went through, because I been there before and it’s a traumatic thing. So, we don’t ever want to make light of what it was, but it does need to be said that this could’ve ended a lot worse,” said Jeremy Weber, WSP Public Information Officer for District 6.
The truck driver involved in the initial rollover crash has been charged with negligent driving. The second truck driver still has pending charges. Both were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. No further information has been released.