RIDGEFIELD, WA – A local couple’s act of kindness turned tragic after an alleged impaired driver struck them on the northbound lane of I-5, near the ilani Casino on Friday night. Jessica Blinebry lost her life at the scene, while her spouse, Casey Blinebry, is fighting for his in the hospital.
The incident began when a driver crashed into a guardrail near the casino exit. The Blinebrys, who had stopped to help, were hit when a pickup truck careened out of control after clipping a firetruck parked at the scene.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue personnel were on the scene within four minutes of the crash. They were attending to the driver who originally hit the guardrail when the second collision occurred.
Fire Chief John Nohr told the local news that four firefighters at the site narrowly avoided being hit. One firefighter even had to pull the patient over the guardrail to avoid the oncoming truck.
The driver of the pickup truck, Guadalupe Munoz of Woodland, could face charges of vehicular manslaughter. Meanwhile, officials have advised travelers to avoid the lane and contact 911 if they encounter an emergency on the road. They have highlighted the law requires them to move over to another lane for safety purposes.