Two Women Dead in Crashes on Tri-Cities Icy Roadways

Two women are dead after crashes took place on icy Tri-Cities Roadways on Tuesday.

Washington State Patrol and Police departments were kept busy Tuesday afternoon, as freezing rain fell for several hours creating extremely slick roadways in the area. Some roads were shut down due to dangerous conditions.

40-year-old Stephanie N. Hall Mullen of Benton City lost control of her SUV on westbound I-182 in Richland at about 4:20 pm. Her Nissan Xterra rolled through the median and across the eastbound lanes before landing on the right shoulder. Mullen died at the scene. WSP said that Mullen was traveling too fast for the conditions. She was wearing her seatbelt.

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73-year-old Maria Larios Torres died after she was struck by a dark-colored sedan near 20th and Nixon in Pasco. Torres and her husband were walking home from a local grocery store. As they were crossing 20th Avenue, the couple was struck by the hit-and-run vehicle. The 67-year-old man remains hospitalized.

Due to freezing rain, WSP and Police Departments responded to several collisions on the roads yesterday and this morning. Black ice was a factor in many of the crashes. Washington State Patrol Trooper Chris Thorson said that most collisions were caused by people driving too fast.

According to WSP Trooper Thorson, below is the breakdown of crashes in the area.

- Yakima 12
- Grandview 18
- Kennewick 63
- Walla Walla 0

When driving in inclement weather, you're reminded to drive for the conditions. Thorson recommends using extreme caution on ramps, overpasses, and bridges. On Wednesday morning, Police were still responding to calls of crashed vehicles.