YAKIMA, Wash. -- Five people — including three brothers from Yakima — were killed in three separate crashes this weekend west of Naches, authorities said.

The Abundiz brothers — Roman, 24, Raul, 15, and Fernando, 11 — died after their Jeep Wrangler crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Ford Expedition towing a boat about 12:15 p.m. Sunday, officials said.

The accident on U.S. Highway 12 occurred near milepost 176, between the “Y” and Rimrock Lake, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The youngest brother, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the Jeep and landed into the nearby shallow and marshy Tieton River, officials said.

Four of the Expedition’s six occupants — all from Kennewick — were injured and taken to area hospitals, officials said.

Members of the Leach family — driver Daniel E., 32, Casey I., 28, and Kelsey M., 7 — were taken to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. Officials at the hospital Sunday night said Daniel and Casey Leach were in satisfactory condition, while Kelsey Leach was no longer listed as a patient.

Another passenger, Dennis M. Davis, 30, was taken to Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center, officials said. An administrative nursing supervisor Sunday night could not confirm Davis’ condition or whether he was still in the hospital.

Two other girls in the Expedition — ages 2 and 4 — were uninjured, officials said.

The other Jeep occupants included Rosa P. Abundiz, 43, Yesenia Verduzco Sanchez, 22, and Rogelio Benavidez Ramirez, 21, all of Yakima, State Patrol officials said.

All were injured and taken to Regional, officials said. The hospital supervisor said she could not confirm whether they were still there or give their conditions.

“It was a bad judgment call,” said Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins, referring to driver Roman Abundiz’s decision to cross into oncoming traffic. “There were cars and people all over the place ... This time of year on a Sunday afternoon, as hot as it’s been, there were a lot of campers, trailers and boats on the road.”

Authorities do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash. The only occupant of the Jeep wearing a seat belt was the driver, according to the State Patrol news release. Meanwhile, all Expedition occupants were wearing seat belts, officials said.

The other people who died in accidents this weekend were riding motorcycles, officials said.

Donald Lehman, 50, of Carlton, Ore., died after a crash about 2:30 p.m. Sunday along State Road 410 near Bumping River Road, officials said.

His wife, Kathleen Lehman, 45, also was riding a motorcycle. She was at Memorial late Sunday with critical injuries, officials said.

Further details on the crash were not available late Sunday, but apparently two other vehicles were also involved in the crash, State Patrol officials said.

The second motorcycle fatality took place Saturday afternoon, officials said. A 64-year-old man from Vancouver, Wash., was killed after rolling his motorcycle west of Naches, according to a Washington State Patrol news release.

Gene J. Maulsby was eastbound on U.S. 12 near milepost 183 sometime before 12:15 p.m. Saturday when he drove onto the shoulder, officials said. His 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle hit an embankment and rolled before coming to a stop more than 30 feet from the road.

Maulsby, who was wearing a helmet, died on scene, according to the news release. Investigators determined the cause of the accident was inattention.

Sunday’s triple fatality closed U.S. 12 for several hours, authorities said. State Department of Transportation officials helped clear traffic, opening the road to traffic one lane at a time for several hours until clearing the roadway about 5 p.m. Officials from the Yakima County Sheriff’s Department and area fire departments helped clear the scene.

• Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.