Two students returning to WSU campus die in highway accidents

Two Washington State University students were killed and four were injured in two separate crashes in Washington over the weekend.

Dashiell M. Mortell, 19, of Bainbridge Island, was killed Saturday in a three-vehicle crash near Cle Elum, Wash., according to a news release from the Washington State Patrol. On Sunday, Rachel A. Pomeroy, 20, of Snohomish, died in a two-vehicle crash near Washtucna, Wash. Robert Strenge, assistant director of WSU News, said Mortell was a sophomore at WSU and Pomeroy was a junior.

Mortell was one of five WSU students in a green 1996 Ford Explorer at the time of Saturday's crash, which led to injuries to all four others in the vehicle. Driver Andrew L. Hammond, 21, of Bremerton, Chanlin J. Morgan, 21, of Bremerton, and Justin A. Crawford, 21, of Vancouver, Wash., were all taken to Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg. John J. Crawford, 18, of Vancouver, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Kittitas Valley Hospital reported Monday that Morgan was treated and released. Hammond and Justin Crawford were transferred, but their location was not known Monday.

John Crawford was in serious condition Monday, according to the Seattle hospital.

Saturday's accident was reported around 2:10 p.m. and took place along Interstate 90 near milepost 79, about five miles west of Cle Elum. Corry L. Smith, 42, of Cle Elum, had slowed his gray 2015 Chrysler 200 to a stop for a collision. The Ford driven by Hammond reportedly failed to stop and collided with the rear end of the Chrysler, according to the state patrol. The Ford then rolled and came to rest on its driver's side.

A black 2009 GMC Sierra pickup truck with a trailer, driven by 24-year-old Dalton J. Jaekel-Brown of Kittitas, then reportedly failed to stop and struck the roof of the Ford. The GMC then reportedly veered to the right and came to rest on top of the eastbound jersey barrier.

Jaekel-Brown and his passenger, 22-year-old Riley L. Triggs of Eatonville, were not injured. Smith also was not injured.

Sunday's accident was reported around 4:30 p.m. along State Route 26 near milepost 70, about 13 miles west of Washtucna. Pomeroy was traveling eastbound in a bronze 2003 Acura 32TL when the vehicle reportedly collided head-on with a white 2016 Ford Explorer traveling westbound, according to the state patrol.

The driver of the Ford, 60-year-old Donald R. Graham of Bothell, was not injured.

Both lanes of State Route 26 were closed for about three hours while crews responded to the scene.

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Embree may be contacted at cembree@lmtribune.com or (208) 669-1298. Follow her on Twitter @chelseaembree .