CHIMACUM — The State Patrol has dropped citations against two Sequim residents and is looking for an unidentified driver who caused a four-car pileup on Center Road on Wednesday.
Ashley Lynn Debler, 23 — who received the only injuries in the wreck — and Charles Rene Marr, 76, originally were cited for unsafe passing in the 3:45 p.m. collisions about six miles southwest of Chimacum.
Those citations have been dropped.
Instead, the State Patrol said Friday, a fifth and unknown driver is guilty of illegal passing and will be cited for reckless driving, if found.
That fifth car was traveling east in the westbound lane to pass an eastbound tractor-trailer combination, the State Patrol said.
All four drivers involved in the wreck — all of whom were traveling west — were attempting to evade that car.
All primary fault and charges will be directed at the fifth vehicle and its unidentified driver, the State Patrol said.
The fifth vehicle is “a four-door passenger-type vehicle that is light grayish in color,” said State Police spokesperson Trooper Krista Hedstrom.
Debler was treated and discharged from Jefferson Healthcare hospital the day of the wreck.
The State Patrol gave this account of the pileup:
Kathleen Marie Jordan, 62, of Snoqualmie pulled her 2004 Subaru Forester onto the shoulder to avoid the eastbound car.
Margaret Robertsen-Burris, 54, of Port Angeles drove her 2007 Honda Civic to the shoulder and safely stopped at least two car lengths behind the Forester.
Marr passed the Honda Civic and attempted to pull his 2001 Toyota Prius to the shoulder but struck the Honda’s front bumper.
The Prius came to rest between the two cars.
Debler, driving a 2001 Mazda, pulled to the shoulder in front of the Honda Civic, struck the rear end of the Prius and pushed it into the rear of the Forester.
Anyone with information about the light gray car or its driver can phone the State Patrol’s Port Angeles office at 360-417-1738 and leave a message for Trooper Matthew Phillips.
