Woman hurt in U.S. 101 crash near Port Angeles upgraded to satisfactory condition

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, April 1, 2015

PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles woman injured in a rollover wreck Sunday was upgraded to satisfactory condition Tuesday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Lila M. Betts, 63, was hurt in a rollover wreck after a collision on U.S. Highway 101 at North Masters Road.

Helping hand

She might not have survived were it not for quick action by a Clallam County deputy, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Paul Federline was flagged down by passers-by and ran to the 2000 Chevrolet Blazer that had flipped onto its passenger side after a collision at 5:19 p.m.

Betts was conscious but trapped in the vehicle because the impact from the other vehicle, a 2009 Chevrolet pickup truck, had jammed her driver’s door.

Gasoline was leaking from the Blazer and down the pavement while its engine ran on. Federline broke out its windshield and turned off its ignition.

Lanes reduced

Fire District No. 2 personnel removed the Blazer’s roof to free Betts.

Two-way traffic on the four-lane stretch was reduced to two lanes for more than two hours.

Betts was taken to Olympic Medical Center, then flown to Harborview in Seattle.

State Patrol troopers said she had attempted to cross four lanes of the highway from the Dollar Tree to the Walmart Supercenter despite “right turn only” restrictions for drivers turning east from the Dollar Tree onto the highway.

Troopers’ account

Edward J. Hogan, 45, of Port Angeles was driving a pickup eastbound on Highway 101. It hit the Blazer in the eastbound lane, troopers said.

The Blazer was struck on the driver’s side, flipped on its passenger side by the impact and rolled into the westbound lanes.

Hogan suffered minor injuries, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Betts was not wearing a seat belt and was cited for failure to yield, the State Patrol said.

No drugs or alcohol were suspected to be involved in the wreck.