Collision closes Vernita Bridge most of the day Monday
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 hour, 24 minutes AGO
A Desert Aire man was injured and the Vernita Bridge was closed after a collision early Monday 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. | October 19, 2026 5:47 PM
MATTAWA — A Desert Aire man was transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center Monday after the car he was driving was hit by a car coming in the opposite direction. The collision closed the Vernita Bridge, which remained out of service for most of the day.
Rogelio Cardenas, 40, was driving north on SR 24 about two to three miles from the Vernita Bridge at about 5:40 a.m., according to a press memo from the Washington State Patrol. Cardenas' car was hit by a car driven by Zachary Holder, 42, Richland, who crossed the centerline.
Cardenas' car ran into a truck and trailer driven by Lwin Maung, 45, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Holder also was injured and transported to Kadlec Hospital. Maung was not injured, the WSP memo said.
The Vernita Bridge was closed at about 6 a.m. and remained closed until about 3:15 p.m., according to information from the Grant County Sheriff's Office.
Holder was cited for second-degree negligent driving, the WSP memo said.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Collision closes Vernita Bridge most of the day Monday
MATTAWA — A Desert Aire man was transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center Monday after the car he was driving was hit by a car coming in the opposite direction. The collision closed the Vernita Bridge, which remained out of service for most of the day. Rogelio Cardenas, 40, was driving north on SR 24 about two to three miles from the Vernita Bridge at about 5:40 a.m., according to a press memo from the Washington State Patrol. Cardenas' car was hit by a car driven by Zachary Holder, 42, Richland, who crossed the centerline. Cardenas's car ran into a truck and trailer driven by Lwin Maung, 45, Las Vegas, Nevada.
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