Eleven individuals sustained injuries Thursday morning following a significant collision between a work bus and a semi-truck in eastern Washington. The incident occurred on a rural stretch of State Route 24, approximately 20 miles west of Othello. According to information released by the Washington State Patrol, the crash happened when the bus, which was traveling south on Road 24 Southwest, pulled onto the main highway and failed to yield to the oncoming semi-truck. This failure to yield directly led to the semi-truck colliding with the work bus, leaving several passengers hurt.
The collision impacted 13 adult passengers who were on the work bus at the time of the crash. These passengers were identified by the Washington State Patrol as being between the ages of 23 and 55. Of the 13 passengers, eleven were transported to various area hospitals to receive medical attention for their injuries. As of the latest update, the Washington State Patrol has not provided further information regarding the specific severity or nature of the injuries sustained by these eleven individuals.
The drivers of both vehicles involved in the incident were reported as uninjured. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as a 28-year-old man from Moses Lake. Following the collision, he was able to contact 911 to report the crash, the Washington State Patrol confirmed. Similarly, the 55-year-old man from Yakima who was operating the work bus also did not sustain any injuries, according to statements from the WSP.
Both the work bus and the semi-truck involved in the Thursday morning crash were completely totaled. The extensive damage to both vehicles was confirmed by the Washington State Patrol. The WSP's preliminary investigation indicated that the work bus's entry onto State Route 24 without yielding the right-of-way to the semi-truck was the direct cause of the collision. This sequence of events unfolded on the rural highway segment.
In the aftermath of the crash, authorities implemented significant road closures to facilitate emergency response and the ongoing investigation. Troopers with the Washington State Patrol announced that both directions of State Route 24 were closed between milepost 52 and milepost 54. This specific section of the highway is situated about 12 miles east of Mattawa. The WSP informed the public that the closure was expected to remain in effect for most of the day, allowing investigators to thoroughly process the scene. Drivers who typically use this route were advised by the Washington State Patrol to utilize local roads as detours to navigate around the affected area.
