Four hurt in 5-vehicle pileup south of Quincy on SR 281

QUINCY — Four people were injured Monday evening in a five-vehicle pileup on State Route 281 about five miles south of Quincy, reported the Washington State Patrol.

Troopers said Kary J. Eaton, 59, of Quincy, was stopped in the northbound lane waiting for oncoming traffic to clear before making a left turn onto Road 4-NW when his 2022 Toyota Corolla sedan was struck in the rear by a 2017 GMC Sierra pickup driven by Pedro R. Olivares, 19, also of Quincy.

Eaton’s Toyota was then struck by a southbound 2025 Toyota 4Runner driven by Avni Malhotra, 41, of Richland. The 4Runner, in turn, was hit by a 2000 Dodge Dakota pickup driven by Enrique B. Rivera, 34, of Warden. And the Corolla was then sideswiped by a 2012 Ford F150 pickup driven by Vincent C. Buckham, 84, Moses Lake, who was trying to avoid the collision. 

All of the vehicles came to rest in the highway’s southbound lane except the Ford pickup, which ended up in the southbound ditch, according to the WSP report.

The wrecks were reported at 5:01 p.m. Monday.

Eaton and Malhotra sustained serious unspecified injuries and both were airlifted to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, while Rivera was also transported there by ambulance.

Olivares was also hurt and transported by private vehicle to an unspecified location, troopers said.

No injuries were reported to Buckham, a female passenger in his pickup, and a male passenger in Malhotra’s SUV.

All of the occupants were wearing seatbelts, the report stated.

The incident remains under investigation, but troopers said the multiple-vehicle collision was caused in part by drivers following too closely.

All of the vehicles were totaled and towed away with the exception of the Ford pickup, which received reportable damage.