‘Hat trick’: Teen hurt in crash tells WSP she was texting, using Snapchat, FaceTime behind wheel

An ambulance took a 17-year-old Amboy girl — who allegedly admitted to troopers she was texting and using Snapchat and FaceTime while driving — after her car clipped the rear of another vehicle Friday morning north of Battle Ground, said Trooper Will Finn of the Washington State Patrol.

The girl was driving north on the state Highway 503 behind another vehicle driven by Denise A. Snyder, 52, of Amboy, when Snyder slowed down for traffic that was turning into a driveway, the state patrol said.

Snyder saw the car behind her approaching at high speed, then tried to veer right to get out of the way. The State Patrol said the girl’s vehicle struck the left rear corner of Snyder’s car, forcing it into the ditch. The girl’s car spun clockwise, rolled over then came to rest on its top in the northbound lanes

Snyder was unhurt. The girl was taken to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. Finn said she received minor injuries.

“This hat-trick performance was extremely dangerous,” Finn said. “She could have killed somebody.”

Finn encouraged parents to talk to children about distracted driving, something troopers see on a daily basis.

“This young girl made this vehicle a weapon today,” Finn said. “Although everyone walked away, it shows the importance of putting your phone away.”

The crash, near the intersection with Northeast McBride Road and Northeast 142nd Avenue, limited traffic to one lane for about two hours.

The State Patrol said the girl was cited for reckless driving.

Both drivers were driving newer-model Kia Rios, and both were wearing seat belts.

“This is a prime example of why we push out do not use technology while driving,” Finn said. “It is a prime example of what possibly could go wrong.”