Firefighters respond to collisions in icy weather - Lind Fire Department battles structure fire

Adams County Fire Protection Districts No. 1 and No. 2 responded to multiple collisions from Dec. 28 to Dec. 30, including one resulting in a fatality.

Lind Fire Chief Kevin Starring said the agency responded to four collisions in a span of 24 hours, from Dec. 29-30, including a one-vehicle collision on westbound Interstate 90 at milepost 202, 18 miles west of Ritzville.

According to a Washington State Patrol report, Patrick Conley of Shoreline, was driving a Jeep Cherokee in the westbound lake when he lost control of the vehicle. The Cherokee came a stop 100 feet off the roadway and rolled onto its top.

The vehicle’s passenger Nicole D. Conley, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene. Patrick Conley was transported to East Adams Rural Hospital. The passenger was wearing a seatbelt but the driver was not.

The report stated speeding too fast for conditions was the cause of the collision and charges are pending.

Prior to the incident, Lind Fire responded to a non-injury semi-truck rollover on Highway 395. The agency also responded to a non-injury rollover on I-90 and a rollover non-injury on Highway 26.

Lind Fire responded to a house fire on Dec. 31 at 1 a.m. Starring said the fire originated from an electric heater.

The fire was contained to two rooms, but Starring added most of the building sustained smoke and water damage. Starring said the occupants were able to escape from the home and no injuries were reported.

Starring added the weather hindered firefighters during the call, and crews were at the scene until 5:30 a.m.

On Dec. 28, Ritzville responded to a one-vehicle injury collision on Interstate 90 milepost 202 at 8:27 p.m. County Fire Chief Scott Kembel said the agency responded with two trucks and six firefighters.

On Dec. 29, at 8:39 a.m., Ritzville deployed two trucks and six firefighters to a non-injury collision on Highway 395 milepost 85.

Ritzville Fire responded to two collisions on Dec. 30, the first being a one-car, non-injury collision at Highway 395, milepost 90 at 9:29 a.m. One hour later, the agency responded to a one-vehicle collision non-injury on Highway 395 on the on ramp to I-90.

On. Dec. 31, Ritzville sent three trucks and six firefighters to an SUV rollover on Highway 395, milepost 96.

According to a WSP incident report, Lance Ziegler of Davenport, was driving a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer on Highway 395, lost control and traveled into the median before rolling on its side with its tires facing southwest.

Ziegler and one of the passengers, Mary Ziegler, also from Davenport, were transported by Life Flight to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

The other passenger, a 15-year-old juvenile, was transported to East Adams Rural Healthcare.

Lance and Mary Ziegler were wearing seatbelts while the juvenile wore a non-compliant Washington State Department of Transportation helmet.

Based on radio traffic, CPR was administered to one of the patients.

The report states the cause for the collision was driving too fast for conditions and charges are pending.