A collision involving a pickup truck, a Chevrolet Malibu and an oncoming Nissan Sentra left one woman dead and four other people injured near Mesa, Washington. The woman killed was identified as 37-year-old Jessica R. Zarate of Connell. Authorities also reported that the driver of the pickup truck faced a vehicular homicide charge following the November 10 crash.
The wreck happened at approximately 6:40 p.m. near State Route 17 and Booker Road in Franklin County, about 11 miles north of Mesa. Washington State Patrol investigated the incident and identified three vehicles involved in the deadly sequence of collisions.
Investigators said Zarate was driving a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu southbound on Booker Road when a 2015 Toyota Tundra struck her vehicle from behind. The pickup was driven by John Daniel Reiss, a 61-year-old Kennewick man, according to local news coverage.
The force of the impact sent the Malibu into the path of a 2004 Nissan Sentra traveling northbound on State Route 17. The Nissan, driven by 28-year-old Edgar Garcia Quirino of Othello, then struck Zarate’s vehicle. The collision proved fatal for the Malibu’s driver.
Zarate was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death was the only reported fatality, but the crash also left four other people injured. Three passengers were traveling inside her Malibu when the vehicles collided.
The three passengers, including two children, were taken to Othello Community Hospital. Their names have not been publicly released. Garcia Quirino, who was driving the Nissan Sentra, also sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
Reiss reportedly escaped the crash without injuries. Authorities indicated that drugs or alcohol may have been involved. Local news coverage reported that he was booked into the Franklin County Jail on a vehicular homicide charge.
The circumstances surrounding the crash raised serious questions about what happened before the pickup truck struck the Malibu. Investigators examined the sequence of events that sent Zarate’s car into the path of the northbound Nissan. The crash involved several people, including two children, who were left needing medical attention.
While the investigation focused on the collision and the driver’s potential criminal responsibility, Zarate’s family was left dealing with an entirely different reality. She was 37 years old, and her death meant the sudden loss of someone whose place in the lives of family and friends cannot simply be filled.
The four injured occupants also faced a difficult recovery after the crash. What began as an evening drive ended with one person dead, several others hurt and a driver facing a serious criminal charge.