A man is in custody for alleged vehicular homicide after he was involved in a three-vehicle collision in Centralia that resulted in a woman’s death.
The collision was reported in the 400 block of Harrison Avenue at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24, according to the Centralia Police Department.
Washington State Patrol assisted with the collision investigation.
According to the Centralia Police Department, one of the involved drivers, identified as Joshua Malchow, 38, of Centralia, was traveling in a blue Honda Civic.
“It was later discovered that the Honda Civic was an unreported stolen vehicle out of Chehalis,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
While traveling north on Harrison Avenue at a high rate of speed, Malchow reportedly attempted to pass a semi-truck in a no passing zone by veering into the lane of oncoming traffic. He then collided head on with a black Toyota Tacoma truck in the southbound lane. The Toyota was then struck from the rear by a black Mitsubishi Eclipse.
The elderly female driver of the Toyota was unconscious when officers arrived on scene. She was transported to Centralia Providence Hospital, “where it was determined that she had suffered life threatening injuries,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
She was airlifted from Centralia Providence Hospital to a Tacoma area hospital.
“Unfortunately, the elderly driver did not survive her injuries,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
The woman’s name was not released by law enforcement personnel on Wednesday.
Malchow suffered a head laceration as a result of the accident and was taken into custody and transported to Centralia Providence Hospital for treatment.
“Once medically cleared, Malchow will be booked into the Lewis County Jail on the charge of vehicular homicide,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
This is an ongoing investigation and no other information is being released at this time.
The Centralia Police Department encourages anyone with information about the incident to call them at 360-330-7680 or call Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105.
