Four Injured In Collision Involving Five Vehicles On SR-281 Near George

Four people have injuries following an accident involving five vehicles in Grant County on Monday afternoon.

The Washington State Patrol says it happened at around 5 p.m. on State Route 281 about four miles north of George when a northbound pickup truck driven by 19-year-old Pedro Olivares of Quincy rear-ended of a sedan driven by 59-year-old Kary Eaton of Quincy.

Eaton's vehicle was struck while he was stopped on the highway waiting to make a left-hand turn onto Road 4 Northwest.

The impact forced Eaton's vehicle into the southbound lanes, where three separate oncoming vehicles then collided or sideswiped Eaton's and Olivares' vehicles.

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Both Eaton and Olivares were injured in the crash, along with the drivers of two of the remaining involved vehicles, 41-year-old Avni Malhotra of Richland and 34-year-old Enrique B. Rivera of Warden.

Eaton and Malhotra were both airlifted to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, while Rivera was taken to the same facility via ambulance, and Olivares was transported to a different hospital using a private vehicle.

Troopers say Olivares caused the accident by following too closely and charges against him are pending.

A report from the State Patrol indicates it's not yet known if intoxicants played a role in the crash, which shutdown both lanes of the highway for several hours.