Authorities say a passenger was injured Saturday after the driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing a crash on Interstate 5 near Beacon Hill in Cowlitz County.
A press memo from the Washington State Patrol reports the crash occurred before 3 p.m., in the southbound lanes of I-5 at milepost 42, south of the Lexington Bridge. The incident involved a white 2025 Ford Bronco driven by Rod L. Blackman, 74, of Tulare, California, who reportedly fell asleep at the wheel.
The Bronco left the roadway, rolled, and ended up crashing onto its side.
Passenger Bin Yu, 62, of Bakersfield, California, was wearing a seatbelt but sustained an injury and was transported to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center.
Intoxicants didn’t play a role in the crash, and Blackman was cited for negligent operator, the press memo states.
