EPHRATA, Wash. — An 18-year-old from Moses Lake was airlifted to the hospital after a crash along State Route 17 near Ephrata last night.
According to a press release from the Washington State Patrol, the 18-year-old woman was heading southbound on SR 17 at around 6 p.m. when she rolled up to the stop sign for the SR 282 junction.
WSP reports that a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading northbound drove up to the junction. The 18-year-old driver then "failed to yield right of way" and crossed the northbound lane in front of the Jeep, according to WSP.
She was hit on the driver’s side and, despite wearing a seatbelt, was injured enough to be airlifted to Kadlec Regional Medical Center.
The Jeep driver, a 33-year-old from Ephrata, was also wearing her seatbelt. She had two children in the car, a one-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, who were both strapped into their appropriate car seats and were uninjured, according to the report from WSP.
WSP is investigating the crash and will determine if the 18-year-old might face any charges.
*Critical incident* Serious injury collision SR 17 at SR 282 near Ephrata. SR 282 blocked. Southbound 17 blocked. Avoid the area. —Trooper Schafer pic.twitter.com/crnM4lQPP7
— District 6 PIO (@wspd6pio) October 14, 2025
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