Parked car on I-82 leads to accidents

GRANGER — A car parked on Interstate 82 outside Granger early Sunday caused four vehicles to wreck and catch the parked car on fire, the  Washington State Patrol reported.

Only one of the four occupants was injured, troopers said.

The sequence started about 3:20 a.m. when 30-year-old Manuel Sanchez Garcia, hometown unknown, stopped his eastbound Mercury Cougar on the inside lane of the interstate near Exit 54. The car had no lights on.

Along came Benton City driver Elroy West, 49, who swerved to miss the Cougar. His Pontiac Grand Am left the roadway to the left. The next two cars — a Geo Metro and a Jeep Liberty —  hit the Cougar, causing it to catch fire.

Pedro Ortega, 47, of Sunnyside was driving the Metro. The Liberty’s driver, 25-year-old Jackie Herrera of Toppenish, was taken to Toppenish Community Hospital, her condition was not available on Sunday evening.

All but the Grand Am were destroyed.

The three following drivers were wearing seat belts. Troopers said they did not know whether Sanchez Garcia was wearing his seat belt.

-- Yakima Herald-Republic