PORT TOWNSEND — Five people, including children 2 and 12 years old, were hospitalized after a westbound Toyota 4Runner carrying a family of four collided head-on with an eastbound Chevrolet on state Highway 104 on Friday.
Traffic was backed up on Highway 104 for miles after the 9 a.m. wreck.
After the 9 a.m. collision 20 miles south of Port Townsend near the intersection with U.S. Highway 101, three people were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, and two were transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, said the State Patrol.
Airlifted
Airlifted to Seattle were Unai P. Golkoetxeta, 27, of Spain, who was driving the Chevrolet; Shiboney M. Dumo, 35, of SeaTac, who was the front-seat passenger in the 4Runner; and Zonaira Hernandez, 12, of Seattle, another 4Runner passenger.
All three were listed in critical condition at Harborview on Friday.
Golkoetxeta suffered facial, abdominal, leg and thigh injuries, while Dumo’s head, chest and leg were hurt, and Hernandez had neck and chest injuries.
Both had to be extricated from the smashed cars, said East Jefferson Fire-Rescue spokesman Bill Beezley.
Taken to Bremerton were Andrew J. Pyle, 37, of Burien — the driver of the 1998 4Runner who suffered facial, leg and hand injuries — and Chancelore D. Dumo, 2, of SeaTac, a passenger in a child restraint seat in the back seat of the 4Runner who had a possible neck injury.
Pyle was listed in fair condition, while the 2-year-old was in good condition, said a Harrison spokeswoman Friday.
Traffic slowed
The highway was re-opened at 11:20 a.m., the state Department of Transportation said, but traffic moved slowly because of the long line of cars and because damaged vehicles were being towed from the scene of the wreck.
The State Patrol said Pyle was attempting to pass a semitruck when he collided with the Chevrolet driven by Golkoetxeta on the eastbound shoulder.
Beezley said the 4Runner was the second vehicle in a two-car convoy of family members, and that after the first vehicle in the convoy passed an 18-wheel semi, the 4Runner attempted to pass also and struck the oncoming Chevrolet head-on.
The State Patrol is investigating.
All those involved in the wreck were wearing seat belts, including the 2-year-old child, who was restrained in a car safety seat in the back of the 4Runner.
“I believe the car safety seat prevented her from receiving more serious injuries,” said East Jefferson Fire-Rescue Chief Gordon Pomeroy, the designated group medical officer on scene.
Thirty firefighters and medical personnel responded, Beezley said.
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue Chief Ed Wilkerson served as incident commander before requesting additional units from East Jefferson Fire-Rescue and the Quilcene and Discovery Bay fire stations.
