Trooper Chance Forman Injured in I-90 Crash Near Cle Elum, Washington on December 19, 2025 | Patrol Vehicle Rear-Ended During Roadside Stop

A Washington State Patrol trooper was injured Thursday afternoon following a collision on Interstate 90 near Cle Elum. The crash occurred at approximately 4:25 p.m. in the westbound lanes when a pickup truck struck a marked patrol vehicle that was stopped in the right lane with emergency lights activated.

Authorities identified the injured trooper as Chance Forman, 30, who was seated in the passenger side of the patrol car at the time of impact. Emergency crews transported Forman to Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg for treatment. The patrol vehicle’s driver, Jorge Ortiz, was outside the vehicle when it was hit and was not injured. The pickup driver, an 86-year-old Easton man, was unhurt. Officials reported that drugs or alcohol were not factors, and the incident remains under investigation with charges pending.