Centralia Police say crash that killed woman caused by driver of speeding stolen car

CENTRALIA, Wash. — An elderly woman died from her injuries after a crash that Centralia Police say was caused by the driver of a stolen car.

On Wednesday at around 9:30 a.m., officers were called to a head-on collision on Harrison Avenue near Russell Road. When they arrived, they found that three cars were involved.

According to police, a 38-year-old Centralia man behind the wheel of a Honda Civic was speeding north on Harrison Avenue when he tried to pass a semi-truck in a no passing zone by swerving into oncoming traffic.

He then crashed head-on with a black Toyota truck in the southbound lane, which was rear-ended by a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

An elderly woman who had been driving the Toyota was badly hurt. She was taken to a Centralia hospital and then airlifted to a Tacoma hospital, where she died.

Investigators discovered the Honda had been stolen out of Chehalis.

The driver of the stolen Honda was taken to the hospital for a cut on his head. Once he’s OK to be released, he’ll be booked into the Lewis County Jail for investigation of vehicular homicide.

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