Vancouver father and son killed in Lewis County I-5 crash

Youngster, 15, was student at Summit View High School

Two Vancouver men were killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in Lewis County Thursday morning, state patrol said.

By John Branton and Paul Suarez
Columbian staff writers

Originally published January 26, 2012 at 6:42 p.m., updated January 26, 2012 at 9:53 p.m.

Mark Kovalchuk

A father and son from Vancouver were killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in Lewis County on Thursday morning, officials said.

Anatoliy Kovalchuk, 43, of Vancouver was driving a 1998 Toyota T-100 pickup northbound on I-5 when he struck the rear of a 2008 Kenworth semi truck pulling a flatbed trailer driven by Truman J. Swinhart, 44, of Spokane, according to a Washington State Patrol bulletin.

Swinhart’s truck was at the end of a 4-mile traffic backup from an earlier collision that temporarily closed the highway, said Trooper Ryan Tanner, a state patrol spokesman.

Kovalchuk and his son Mark Kovalchuk, 15, were pronounced dead at the scene. Neither wore a seat belt, the WSP bulletin said.

Swinhart was uninjured, Tanner said.

Mark Kovalchuk was a student at Summit View High School, said Gregg Herrington, communications director for Battle Ground Public Schools.

Two counselors will be at Summit View on Friday to speak with students or staff members.

The State Patrol will continue investigating the crash.