Three people were killed and one was injured in a wrong-way crash on state Route 503 in Battle Ground early Sunday morning, July 5, one of several major emergencies that kept Clark County first responders busy over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the crash occurred at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 5, near milepost 6 on state Route 503, just north of Northeast 179th Street. Troopers said a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes struck a southbound vehicle head-on before coming to rest on its top, blocking the southbound lanes.
The driver and passenger of the wrong-way vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. Neither was wearing a seat belt, according to the state patrol. Their identities were being withheld pending notification of next of kin as of press time.
The driver of the second vehicle, a 27-year-old Vancouver man, was transported to an area hospital with injuries. He was wearing a seat belt. A 27-year-old Vancouver woman riding as a passenger of the second vehicle died at the scene. She was also using a seat belt. Both victims in the second vehicle were not identified pending notification of next of kin.
The Washington State Patrol listed the cause of the collision as a wrong-way driver. Investigators had not determined whether drugs or alcohol were involved as of press time.
The fatal crash capped a busy holiday weekend for emergency responders. Shortly after 10 p.m. on July 4, the PulsePoint app showed nine active fires burning simultaneously across Clark County as fire agencies responded to well over a dozen fire calls.
Early July 5, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire on South Third Way in Ridgefield after improperly discarded fireworks ignited a garbage can between two homes, spreading flames to both residences. All occupants escaped safely, and firefighters brought the blaze under control within 30 minutes. A preliminary investigation found that while most spent fireworks had been soaked in water, some were discarded in a trash can, igniting its contents.
Late on Saturday, July 4, the Clark County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Traffic Homicide Unit also responded to a fatal vehicle-versus-ATV collision in the Orchards area at Northeast 76th Street and Northeast 137th Avenue.
CCSO investigators said a vehicle turning left onto Northeast 137th Avenue collided with a westbound Kawasaki ATV. The 39-year-old ATV rider, who was not wearing a helmet, died after being transported to a local hospital. Investigators believe alcohol impairment may have been a factor for the ATV rider. It was not stated by CCSO if the ATV had lights as the incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, CCSO stated.
