SUV rolls on I-205, car hits home as rain wreaks havoc

Washington State Patrol Trooper Nicholas Jennings picks up debris along Interstate 205 on Sunday after an accident. (Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)

The first sizable rain in more than a month led to wet pavement and contributed to a smattering of accidents Sunday.

Two Oregon men suffered minor injuries when their SUV rolled as they attempted to merge onto Interstate 205 southbound at about 3:05 p.m.

The accident occurred as the vehicle, a white Chevrolet TrailBlazer, entered the freeway from state Highway 500. After striking a barrier and crashing over it, the SUV reportedly rolled twice before coming to a stop with part of the vehicle extending into the freeway’s right lane.

The accident caused minor disruption to the freeway as drivers moved to other lanes during the response and cleanup.

Both the driver, 26-year-old Roberto Sanchez-Flores of Gresham, Ore., and his passenger, 23-year-old Luis Lopez-Flores of Portland, suffered minor injuries.

Trooper Nicholas Jennings said excessive speed and wet pavement contributed to the accident.

Daybreak accident: Wet driving conditions also were a factor in another accident shortly before 4:30 p.m. Sunday when a Chevrolet Prizm driven by a La Center woman plowed into a mobile home south of Daybreak Park.

Alex Schoening, a detective with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic unit, said the car, driven by 50-year-old Vera V. Banyuk, was traveling northwest on Northeast Manley Road.

Just after the road turns into Northeast 259th Street, Banyuk lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a single-wide mobile home at 8408 N.E. 259th St., Schoening said.

The mobile home’s residents, Herb and Betty Hart, were at home when the vehicle came to a stop in their front room, but neither was hurt, he said. Also uninjured were Banyuk and her two passengers, he said.

Banyuk was cited for driving too fast for road conditions, Schoening said.

“There was a fresh rain and the road was slick,” he said.

Motorcyclist killed after hitting tree

A 27-year-old Vancouver man was killed and his passenger seriously injured when their motorcycle crashed into a tree Saturday night in the Lake Shore area.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene shortly before 10:45 p.m. after a 911 caller reported the accident.

According to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, responders found the man, Charles D. Thatcher, dead and his passenger, 39-year-old Yvonne M. Lane of Vancouver, seriously injured.

A sheriff’s news release said the motorcycle was traveling west on 99th Street near Lakeshore Avenue at a high rate of speed when it passed a vehicle, continued into the oncoming lane and struck a curb on the opposite side of the road.

The motorcycle, a Kawasaki Ninja, then crashed into a tree. The force of the impact caused the tree, 6 to 8 inches in diameter, to break in half.

Lane was transported to Portland’s Legacy Emanuel Hospital, where she underwent surgery. She was listed in serious condition at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Motorist crashes into utility pole; 50 customers lose power


About 50 Clark Public Utilities customers in the Fern Prairie area were without power for slightly more than an hour Sunday evening after a man crashed his vehicle into a utility pole.

Anna Green, a communications officer for the state patrol, said 50-year-old Bob H. Baumgarten hit a utility pole on state Highway 500, also known as Northeast Dresser Road, near 244th Avenue shortly before 6:45 p.m.

Baumgarten allegedly ran from the scene but was apprehended at about 7:20 p.m. He was transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center for treatment of injuries he suffered in the crash.

Baumgarten is expected to face charges of drunken driving, Green said.

The accident caused Highway 500 to be closed; a detour was set up.

Pedestrian subdued after dodging freeway traffic

A Washington State Patrol trooper used an electronic Taser weapon to subdue a pedestrian who was darting in and out of traffic on Interstate 5 early Sunday morning.

The incident began at about 1:30 a.m. when dispatchers received numerous reports of a person, wearing all dark clothing, in the northbound lanes on the Interstate 5 Bridge.

According to a state patrol news release, a trooper contacted the person, later identified as 24-year-old Michael Kaleta of Vancouver, near Mill Plain Boulevard.

Kaleta allegedly jumped over the barrier and refused the trooper’s order to stop, the release said. The trooper attempted to stun the man with his Taser, but it was ineffective.

Kaleta ran across the freeway and came close to being hit by passing vehicles. The trooper attempted to use his Taser a second time, and again it was ineffective.

Another trooper arrived at the scene and spotted Kaleta walking in the freeway’s median, the release said. He allegedly jumped over the barrier and refused to obey the trooper’s command to halt.

The second trooper successfully used his Taser to stun Kaleta, causing him to fall to the ground on the freeway’s shoulder away from traffic.

Troopers were able to overcome Kaleta’s resistance and place him in handcuffs without further incident, the release said.

Kaleta was transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries. He was then taken to the Clark County Jail on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order and resisting arrest.

Pilot unhurt in plane crash near Home Valley

A pilot escaped injury after crashing his aircraft about 10 a.m. Saturday near Home Valley, according to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.

Details were sketchy, but Lawrence Tobin of Spokane, flying from an airport in Aurora, Ore., experienced engine trouble. He attempted to land in a field but crashed into a tree.

The plane was destroyed, but Tobin had no injuries, according to a press release.

Skamania County Emergency Medical and Fire District 1 responded to the crash, along with sheriff’s deputies.

Home Valley is five miles east of Stevenson.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

Restaurant employees detain alleged robber

A man took an undisclosed amount of cash from a Vancouver restaurant before he was confronted by employees and arrested by police.

According to Vancouver police, the man entered the El Presidente Mexican Restaurant Cantina, 312 E. Evergreen Blvd., at about 9:50 p.m. Saturday.

The man grabbed some scissors as he left the restaurant but was detained by restaurant employees, including one who suffered minor injuries.

Police identified the man as Thomas R. Wearing, 40. He was taken to Southwest Washington Medical Center for minor injuries and then lodged in the Clark County Jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery.