Man Arrested For Breaching Police Barricade After Head-On Collision Near Othello

One person has serious injuries and another is in jail for breaching a police barricade following a two-vehicle accident in Adams County last week.

The Adams County Sheriff's Office says it occurred at around 12:10 p.m. on May 20 near West Bench and South Thacker Roads when two vehicles collided head on.

Deputies and first responders with Adams County Fire District No. 5 and Othello Ambulance Service arrived at the scene to find the driver of one vehicle uninjured, while the driver of the second required extrication using the Jaws of Life and was airlifted to a regional hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

While emergency crews were still working the scene, police say 31-year-old Javier Julio-Garcia of Othello drove around a marked patrol vehicle which had been used to block the roadway for public safety during the response, endangering everyone in the general proximity of the accident.

Julio-Garcia was stopped by officers, arrested, and subsequently booked into the Adams County Jail for driving with a suspended license.

Authorities are using the incident as a reminder for the public to always follow all traffic control measures and obey any restrictions of the roadway when encountering an active emergency.