NEWMAN LAKE, Wash. - A 21-year-old Colbert, Wash., man was charged with vehicular assault Wednesday after an early-morning collision near the state line injured both drivers.

According to Washington State Patrol, Artur A. Gurdyumov failed to yield at the intersection of Trent Avenue and Idaho Road to a semi. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Both Gurdyumov, who was driving a 2005 Subaru Outback, and Noel R. Kimball, 45, Hayden, who was driving a 2003 Kenworth, were transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

Kimball was ejected from the semi. He was in satisfactory condition late Wednesday afternoon. Gurdyumov was treated and released.

"(Gurdyumov) failed to yield and pulled out in front of the semi," said WSP spokesman Jeff Sevigney. "(Kimball) couldn't do anything, but to swerve to avoid smashing into the Outback. It could have easily been a fatal accident, so the truck driver may have actually saved (Gurdyumov's) life.

"The semi driver took evasive action and sideswiped the Outback to avoid taking it out."

Gurdyumov was southbound on Idaho Road four miles north of Liberty Lake at 3:13 a.m., attempting to turn westbound onto Trent. Kimball was westbound on Trent when the vehicles collided at the intersection. The Kenworth rolled and the Outback spun off the roadway.

Gurdyumov was wearing a seat belt, while Kimball was not. Both vehicles were totaled.

Sevigney said troopers at the scene obtained a search warrant from a judge to a obtain a blood sample from Gurdyumov. The sample will be submitted to a toxicology lab for analysis.

Trent was closed between Beck and Star roads for about three hours during the investigation.