QUILCENE — A Northern California man was listed in serious condition Saturday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he rolled his vehicle that morning in icy conditions on U.S. Highway 101 just north of Quilcene.
The crash was one of two rollovers caused by ice on U.S. Highway 101 in the same area. There were no injuries in the second wreck.
Lawrence G. Kerneen, of Klamath, Calif., was driving north on U.S. Highway 101 at milepost 292 between Quilcene and state Highway 104 at about 9:45 a.m. when he lost control in icy conditions and rolled the vehicle, a Dodge pickup, several times, the State Patrol said.
The pickup came to rest 50 feet off the northbound side of the highway, coming to a stop on its wheels.
Kerneen was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.
A passenger, Mark E. Dildine, 59, of O’Brien, Ore., was not injured. He and Kerneen were both wearing seat belts.
There were no drugs or alcohol involved, according to the report. The Washington State Patrol stated Kerneen was driving too fast for the road conditions, but did not recommend any charges.
The second crash happened at 10:45 a.m. Saturday in virtually the same area, A northbound vehicle being driven by Daniel Martinez Rivera, 39, of Lacey, went around emergency vehicles that had stopped at the first wreck, the State Patrol said.
His vehicle started fish-tailing on the ice when he moved back into the northbound lane. He rolled his vehicle once into a ditch, with the vehicle coming to rest on its wheels.
Martinez and a 34-year-old female passenger were not injured, the State Patrol said. They were both wearing seat belts.
