Unsecured Load Causes Accident on Highway 28 Monday Afternoon

Two people narrowly escaped serious injury on State Route 28 near the Trinidad Hill west of Quincy Monday afternoon just before 2:00 pm.

State Patrol Trooper John Bryant said 66-year-old Pedro Mendoza of Ephrata was driving a 1997 Ford F-150 eastbound when some large wooden poles became dislodged from a trailer he was hauling and flew across the road. The poles then struck a westbound 1996 Toyota Camry driven by a 75-year-old Chelan man.

"This is just one of those cases where no matter well you think your load is secured, double check it again. Get someone else to put some eyes on it." explained Bryant, "This could have really been a tragic accident. With the size of the poles, one of them partially went through the windshield, and the fact that both occupants of the Camry got away with minor injuries is somewhat short of a miracle."

Both the Camry's driver and passenger were checked out at the hospital and later released. Mendoza was cited for failing to secure his load.