GRANT CO., WA – Four teenagers were injured, one critically, when the driver of their car reached for his cellphone and lost control of the vehicle early yesterday morning, KOMO News reports.
The incident took place near the intersection of Road 11-Southwest and Road P-Southwest, about eight miles east of Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, at about 4 a.m. on Monday, May 17.
The driver of the vehicle, a 17-year-old from Royal City, dropped his cellphone and tried to retrieve it, causing the vehicle to swerve off the roadway. It collided with a utility pole and then overturned, partially ejecting a 16-year-old girl. Emergency responders transported her by helicopter to Confluence Health-Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee and then Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
There were two other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old. They were taken to Samaritan Health Care in Moses Lake by ambulance, and are expected to survive.
Investigators say the driver took his parents’ vehicle without asking permission. Unspecified criminal charges will be filed against him.
If someone you love has been seriously hurt by a distracted driver, Dubin Law Group can help you get the financial compensation you need for your medical bills, your lost wages, and your other expenses. Contact us today for a free consultation with one of our experienced Seattle car accident lawyers, by calling 425-800-8000 or filling out this short form.