A man who was killed walking along Highway 97 in Wapato has been identified. The accident occurred on March 1 around 2:00 a.m.
46-year-old Lemero W. Colfax was walking in the southbound lanes of Highway 97 near Frontage Road when he was hit by a semi-truck.
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The truck was driven by Juan A. Nunez, a 53-year-old truck driver from Yakima. Nunez had two passengers in the truck with him at the time of the accident. None of the occupants of the truck were injured.
The Washington State Patrol pronounced Colfax dead at the scene.
It is uncertain why Colfax was walking along the road at that time of the morning. The Washington State Patrol does not believe that drugs and/or alcohol had any part in the accident.
They are not planning on filing any charges.
Pedestrian safety has been an issue that has been a hot topic in Yakima. The Yakima Nation is working to find better solutions and a new trail system for pedestrians.
Head trauma is a serious injury resulting from pedestrian and vehicle accidents. Brain injuries can be classified from minor to severe. Minor brain injuries typically heal on their own, but some may require surgery to correct it.
Internal bleeding and broken bones can often cause serious damage to a person. Internal bleeding can often go undiagnosed until it is too late. A lot of times it does not have physical indicators like a broken bone, or a laceration would.
Pelvic breaks and fractures are common due to the height of the hood of a car in proportion to the human body. In a semi accident, this would not be the same sort of injury.
Ultimately death is often an outcome in these types of accidents. The investigation into the accident is currently ongoing.