Five hurt in crash

OTHELLO – Five people were hospitalized late Saturday night, Nov. 25, after the vehicle in which they were riding overturned in icy conditions about four miles west of the city on state Highway 26.

The Washington State Patrol identified the injured as Benqi Zhang, 21, Xian Gao, 21, Zherong Qian, 21, Fei Teng, 21, and Yiquin Wang, 22, all of Moscow, Idaho.

Zhang, who was driving, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of crash-related injuries, as were passengers Gao and Qian, the patrol reported. Teng and Wang were both transported to a Tri-Cities area hospital.

None of the vehicle’s occupants was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, the patrol reported.

The crash occurred about 10:36 p.m. Saturday night near Milepost 36, the patrol reported.

Zhang was driving the vehicle eastbound on the icy roadway when he lost control of his 2007 Hyundai Elantra, slid across the westbound lane and onto the shoulder, where the vehicle overturned and came to rest in the westbound ditch, the patrol reported.

As of press time, the patrol had yet to determine if alcohol or drugs were factors; the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Elantra was destroyed in the crash and removed from the scene by Royal Towing.