Identities Of Victims Involved In Deadly Grant County Semi-Truck Crash Released

Authorities in Grant County have released the names of four people who were killed in a two-vehicle accident involving a semi-truck north of Royal City earlier this week.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office says the collision, which also injured five people, happened Tuesday at around 4:30 p.m. at the junction of Dodson Road South and Frenchman Hills Road West about 25 miles south of Ephrata, when a sedan attempted to cross the intersection and was struck in the side by the semi.

The driver of the sedan, 34-year-old Martin Tran, and three passengers in the vehicle, 39-year-old Thomas Tran; 66-year-old Theresa Tran; and 69-year-old Joseph Tran, all of Tacoma, were killed in the collision.

A fifth passenger in the sedan, Michael Tran, whose age has yet to be verified and also of Tacoma, was critically injured in the accident and airlifted to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland for treatment.

The driver of the semi, 68-year-old Felipe Alvos, and three passengers in his vehicle, 71-year-old Rosa Amador, and two children, ages 6 and 7, all of Walla Walla, sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash and were transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake for treatment.

Sheriff's officials say Martin Tran likely caused the collision by failing to stop or yield the right-of-way before attempting to cross the intersection, which is controlled by stop signs featuring flashing LED lights and outfitted with rumble strips to further alert motorists.

Sheriff's spokesperson, Kyle Foreman, told KPQ News on Wednesday (July 29) there's no indication that intoxicants or excessive speed on the part of Alvos were contributing factors in the collision, but the incident remains under investigation.