Trooper injured in 395 wreck

Washington State Patrol Trooper Dean Burt was injured in traffic accident on State Route 395 on Saturday morning when another vehicle slid across the roadway and struck the WSP cruiser while it was parked on the shoulder of the roadway. This is the second time in two years where Trooper Burt’s cruiser has been struck in an accident and he has been transported to the hospital with injuries.

The accident occurred at 9:23 a.m. on Nov. 30 when Burt had parked on the right shoulder of northbound SR395 to investigate a collision scene. During the investigation, a vehicle traveling northbound in the left lane spun out, crossed both lanes and hit Burt’s vehicle on the right shoulder. The collision resulted in Burt receiving minor injuries and being transported to East Adams Rural Hospital.

The driver of the second vehicle, 24-year-old Mitchell Larson, a Kennewick driver, was not injured in the accident. The cause of the accident was attributed to speed and Larson received an infraction.

Both vehicles, the 2002 Honda Civic driven by Larson and the 2010 Ford Crown Victoria WSP cruiser, were damaged and impounded by Pete’s Towing.