Priest River woman dodges injury in Washington crash

CHEWELAH — A Priest River woman escaped injury in a three-vehicle collision on U.S. Highway 395 on Jan. 16, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The patrol said a trio of motorists were northbound on the highway and approaching Kramer Road in Stevens County when the lead vehicle, a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, crashed at a high rate of speed into a Ford Focus driven by Allison R. MacDonald, 21-year-old from Priest River.

The midsize Malibu then collided with a 1995 Ford Aerostar van driven by Gary G. Burch, a 66-year-old Inchelium, Wash., resident, WSP said in a news release.

MacDonald was not injured in the crash, according to WSP. The driver of the Malibu, Albert P. Petry, 40, of Northport, Wash., was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

MacDonald was not injured and managed to drive away from the scene, the patrol said. Burch was taken to Chewelah Hospital, as was passenger Larry. W. Burch, 85. Both MacDonald and Burch were transported to the facility as a precautionary measure.

The state patrol said all of the drivers involved in the 5:26 p.m. collisions were wearing seat belts. Alcohol factored into the crashes, according to the Washington State Patrol news release.