Battle Ground woman improving after Friday night crash

A woman who was injured in a Friday night car crash east of Battle Ground is improving in a local hospital.

Sharon Koistinen, 36, of Battle Ground is in serious condition at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said Monday night. She was in critical condition Sunday night.

Koistinen was injured in a two-vehicle crash that was reported around 9:45 p.m. Friday.

An initial investigation by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office indicates Koistinen was driving her car north on Northeast 194th Avenue and was turning west onto Northeast 219th Street as another car was traveling eastbound on 219th Street at a high speed. The eastbound vehicle hit the turning car, injuring three people, the sheriff’s office said.

The driver of the eastbound car was Jack A. Wisti, 25, of Battle Ground, sheriff’s office spokesman Scott Schanaker said.

Koistinen was extricated from her car by firefighters using heavy tools. She was taken by ground ambulance to where a Life Flight air ambulance was waiting. She was then flown to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

A youth in Koistinen’s car and Wisti were also taken to the hospital by AMR Northwest ambulance, Schanaker said.

Chief Steve Wrightson of Fire District 3 said the injuries to those two weren’t thought to be life-threatening.

The investigation is being forwarded to the prosecutor’s office, Schanaker said.