Car, Truck Collide in Grant County; 1 Injured

A senior is injured following a collision near Schawana early Saturday evening.

The Washington State Patrol says 31-year-old Francisco Corona-Lopez, a dump truck driver out of Yakima County, was southbound on SR 243. Corona-Lopez came slowly to a stop in the southbound lane; trailing behind him was 66-year-old Estreberto Mejia-Valdez of Mattawa.

Mejia-Valdez was too close and struck Corona-Lopez in the rear.

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As a result, Mejia-Valdez will be charged with tailgating, per the WSP. He also sustained critical injuries, for which he was airlifted to Kadlec Regional Medical Center.

Corona-Lopez was reportedly unhurt.

Both parties had their seatbelts fastened. The WSP has determined that drugs and alcohol were not involved.