Two hospitalized after collision near Othello
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 53 minutes AGO
Two people were hospitalized after a car and semitruck collided in foggy conditions near Othello Wednesday morning.
FILE PHOTO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 4, 2026 4:14 PM
OTHELLO — Two people were injured and hospitalized when a car collided with a semitruck about 12 miles west of Othello Wednesday morning.
According to a press memo from the Washington State Patrol, Leslie Villalobos, 23, was driving south on Road D Southeast at about 8:15 a.m. when she failed to slow down at the intersection. Rigoberto Pruneda, 41, Othello, was driving west on SR 26 when Villalobos's car entered the intersection, the WSP memo said.
Trooper Jeremy Weber, WSP District 6 public information officer, said Pruneda attempted to steer out of the way of her vehicle, which is difficult to do in a semitruck.
"He turned to avoid it, and when you have a big semi, those things don't turn on a dime," Weber said.
The two cars collided in the intersection; Villalobos hit the front of Pruneda's truck. The truck rolled and came to rest on the right shoulder of SR 26, the WSP memo said. Villalobos's car also came to rest on the right shoulder.
Pruneda was transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, the WSP memo said. Villalobos was transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.
"Weather was a factor because it was extremely foggy," Weber said.
Drivers need to take foggy conditions into account, he said, which means turning on headlights and slowing down. Fog can lead to icy road conditions as temperatures drop.
"This is the time of year we start seeing that freezing fog," he said.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Comment period still open for 2027 Grant PUD budget
EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District customers can still submit their opinions on the proposed 2027 budget in writing on the PUD website until the budget is adopted. Utility district commissioners are scheduled to vote on the final budget Nov. 24. The PUD is projected to spend $738.1 million in 2027, according to a presentation at the budget hearing Oct. 27. That's about a 5% increase over the 2026 budget. Some of those expenses will be offset by money the PUD gets from its customers and from selling power to outside customers. That's projected to be about $224.6 million.
Two hospitalized after collision near Othello
OTHELLO — Two people were injured and hospitalized when a car collided with a semitruck about 12 miles west of Othello Wednesday morning. According to a press memo from the Washington State Patrol, Leslie Villalobos, 23, was driving south on Road D Southeast at about 8:15 a.m. when she failed to slow down at the intersection. Rigoberto Pruneda, 41, Othello, was driving west on SR 26 when Villalobos's car entered the intersection, the WSP memo said. Trooper Jeremy Weber, WSP District 6 public information officer, said Pruneda attempted to steer out of the way of her vehicle, which is difficult to do in a semitruck.
State Route 26 closed due to collision
UPDATE: As of 12:30 p.m. SR 26 has been reopened. OTHELLO — State Route 26 is closed about 12 miles west of Othello due to a serious two-vehicle collision, according to a media alert from the Grant County Sheriff's Office. The highway is closed in both directions, according to a release from the Washington Department of Transportation. The closure is at the intersection of SR 26 and Road D Southeast, according to the GCSO release. There is a detour in place, the WSDOT release said. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, there was no estimated time for reopening, the WSDOT release said. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.