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80-year-old driver dies after crossing median into oncoming traffic on I-82 near Zillah

Oct 5, 2026, 10:44 AM | Updated: 10:44 am

80-year-old driver I-82 zillah...

Cop lights activated atop a police vehicle. (MyNorthwest file photo)

(MyNorthwest file photo)

A fatal car collision occurred in eastern Washington over the weekend, killing one and injuring two others.

According to Washington State Patrol (WSP), an 80-year-old driver from Benton City drove eastbound on I-82, three miles east of Zillah, just before 6 p.m. Saturday, before crossing a center median and driving into oncoming traffic.

The driver, in a Lincoln MKZ, slammed head-on into a Toyota minivan. The driver died in the crash. A passenger in the Lincoln, an 82-year-old woman, was hospitalized in Richland.

The minivan’s driver, a 36-year-old from Yakima, was taken to a Yakima Hospital.

Distracted driving caused the crash, WSP confirmed.

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80-year-old driver dies after crossing median into oncoming traffic on I-82 near Zillah