SPOKANE — Winter storms slickened roadways across the state Thursday, triggering crashes that left one person dead.
In Spokane, the first snow of the season caused at least 41 collisions. A fatal crash involving a tractor-trailer and two passenger vehicles occurred around 8:40 a.m. on state Route 2 near Deep Creek.
The driver of one of the cars was killed, but the driver and passenger in the second car were not harmed, Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney said. The big rig driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
The collision appeared to have been caused by drivers going too fast for the snowy conditions, Sevigney said.
The Washington Transportation Department reported snow or ice on most highway mountain passes. The department recommended traction tires on Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass and on Highway 2 at Stevens Pass. Oversize vehicles were prohibited on Snoqualmie and Stevens passes.
Freezing rain was falling in the Columbia River Gorge and other parts of Eastern Oregon and Washington, where temperatures have been below freezing for more than a week.
The National Weather Service issued a freezing rain advisory Thursday for the Gorge. The warning also covered parts of Washington including Yakima, the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla.
Some Columbia Gorge schools and schools in Pasco and Richland were closed or delayed because of icy roads. The conditions also closed parts of Interstate 82 and Interstate 84.
A fire truck slid off icy Highway 240 in Richland early Thursday. No one was hurt.