Maria Mendoza Injured in Fatal Crash on SR 26 Near Othello
On April 11, 2025, a devastating collision occurred on State Route 26, approximately eight miles west of Othello, Washington, claiming one life and leaving two others injured. The Washington State Patrol reported that the incident took place at around 12:26 p.m. near milepost 32, when a 2006 Chevrolet Tilt truck, traveling eastbound, struck the rear of a Case IH Magnum 340 farm tractor moving in the same direction.
The driver of the Chevrolet, a male from Wenatchee whose identity has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene; he was not wearing a seatbelt. The truck’s passengers, 42-year-old Marcalina D. Santana and 42-year-old Maria G. Mendoza, both from Wenatchee, sustained injuries and were transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center for treatment. Santana was wearing a seatbelt, while Mendoza was not. The tractor driver, 50-year-old Alberto J. Leal of Othello, emerged unharmed. Authorities have attributed the crash to the Chevrolet following too closely behind the slower-moving tractor, though it remains uncertain whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
