Kennewick — A Hanford worker was passing several cars in a no-passing zone when his car crashed head on into a pickup, according to the accident investigation.
He was killed instantly on Oct. 10, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office investigation finished this week.
Rajagopal “Raj” Ganapathy, 56, was headed to his job as an industrial hygiene program supervisor when he crashed into the pickup driven by a Hanford patrolman who was leaving work after a night shift.
Ganapathy may have been late to work, according to the investigation report.
The crash happened about 6:15 a.m. and work starts for most employees of Washington River Protection Solutions at 6 a.m.
The speedometer in Ganapathy’s black Lexus was stuck at 86 mph in the crash, although investigators concluded he was going at least 75 mph in a 60 mph zone.
Ganapathy was on the nonpublic section of Hanford past the Wye Barricade secure entrance north of Richland heading north on the two-lane Route 4.
A solid line of cars stretching for several miles was headed north in the still-dark morning and only a few vehicles were headed south, as is usual during the Hanford nuclear reservation morning commute.
One witness told a deputy that Ganapathy had tried to pass him before the crash. But the witness spotted a car coming the other direction, sped up and swerved to keep Ganapathy safely behind him.
Crash on blind hill
The crash occurred near Army Loop Road on what was described in the report as a low hill with about a 5 percent grade on each side that hid cars coming from the other direction, according to the report.
Ganapathy again pulled out to pass there, crossing a double yellow solid line.
He had room to pull back into the northbound lane after passing one car, but instead kept passing the next three to four cars, according to witnesses.
The Hanford patrolman, Timothy Johns, 45, veered his white Toyota Tundra to the right as the Lexus came into view just over the crest of the hill.
One witness said the red brake lights on Ganapathy’s car showed briefly before the impact.
Johns was in pain but able to unbuckle his seatbelt and lie down in his truck as other drivers and then emergency workers arrived to help him.
He was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, with suspected broken ribs, broken ankle and shoulder and back injuries.
According to a GoFundMe page started to help Johns and his family, he was released from the hospital on Oct. 16. He has had several toes fused together and had permanent pins and screws surgically implanted in his crushed foot.
On Nov. 21, the site posted that he would need two to three more surgeries and a transplant of hip bone into his foot.
The GoFundMe site “Lucky to be alive. Support Patrolman Tim Johns ” has raised almost $15,000.
