Child injured in four-car chain reaction crash in Vancouver

A 4-year-old boy was injured in a chain-reaction crash Monday on state Highway 500 in Vancouver, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The crash occurred at 4:23 p.m. when a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV driven by Kyle W. Kiele, 27, of Vancouver struck the rear end of  a 2008 GMC Acadia SUV that had slowed for traffic with other vehicles in the left eastbound lane of the highway west of Stapleton Road, a WSP bulletin said.

The force of the impact propelled the GMC, driven by Joseph E. Dowell, 32, of Vancouver, into the rear of a 2010 Mazda 5 driven by Sydney P. Thomason, 17, of Vancouver. Her vehicle was propelled into the rear of a 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Dakota R. Wright, 22, of Vancouver.

After initiating the chain-reaction crash, Kiele’s vehicle overturned and came to rest on its top in the left lane.

Adam R. Dowell, 4, a passenger in the GMC, was transported to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, according to the WSP.

No one else was injured, according to the patrol.

The WSP said the crash was still under investigation and a decision on possible charges was pending.