PORT LUDLOW— The State Patrol said that a woman distracted by answering her cell phone caused a two-vehicle wreck on state Highway 104 about 10 miles south of Port Townsend.
Sequim resident Lisa Anne Shroll Lindley, 38, suffered minor injuries and facial lacerations, the State Patrol said, after her 2013 Hyundai Veloster traveling eastbound crossed the center line at milepost 6 and collided with a westbound box truck at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday.
She was taken to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where she was treated and discharged, hospital personnel said.
Lindley’s car struck the 2009 Mitshubish box truck about midway on the driver’s side, scraping the side of the truck and striking one of its wheels, said Trooper Chelsea Hodgson, State Patrol spokesperson.
Lindley had to be extricated from her vehicle. East Jefferson Fire Rescue, Port Ludlow Fire and Quilcene Fire Rescue firefighters arrived at the wreck to assist.
No one else was hurt in the wreck.
The driver of the truck was Luis Carrera Gallegos, 27, of Renton. Neither he nor his passenger, Gerardo Pulido Saldana, 44, of Kent, were injured, the State Patrol said.
Hodgson said that Lindley was answering her cellphone when she crossed the centerline into the westbound lane. The State Patrol, saying that using the electronic device and crossing the centerline caused the wreck, cited Lindley for distracted driving.
The truck had minor damage and was driven from the scene while Lindley’s car was towed away.
A second collision occurred in the westbound lane while troopers investigated the original wreck, Hodgson said.
A vehicle traveling too fast collided with the rear of another that had slowed for emergency vehicles, she said. No one was hurt.
“We had fire personnel, Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies and troopers walking around at the scene when this collision occurred,” Hodgson said.
“Luckily, no one was injured, but we do ask that motorists stay alert when driving through emergency zones so first responders can safely tend to those involved in the collision. Decrease your speed, watch your following distance and, if possible, move over to provide more space for those on scene.
“The reason we patrol and stop drivers for being distracted on their phones is to prevent incidents like this. Luckily, this case resulted in only minor injuries.
“Answering the phone call or returning a text message is not worth the high risk of injury to yourself or someone else.,” she added.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
