Updated on: 11/11/2019
A nine-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy were both seriously injured in a single-car accident on Interstate 5 near Gee Creek late Thursday night. The children, who are both from Vancouver, were riding in a 2006 Toyota Corolla when the driver, 27-year-old Brenzell Lightner, lost control of the vehicle and crossed the median before striking a tree.The accident took place at approximately 11:20 p.m. and Washington State Patrol troopers say that all occupants were wearing seat belts. The children suffered the worst injuries, which included face lacerations and internal injuries for the boy and fractures to the face and femur, plus head and chest injuries, for the girl. Another passenger, 32-year-old Lamar Cuffie, also sustained injuries to his neck and chest.
Both children were taken to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in nearby Portland. According to the Washington State Patrol, this was an accident involving drugs and/or alcohol and heavy rain was present at the time.
Impaired Driver Statistics
- Nearly one-third of auto accident fatalities involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
- Approximately 30 people die in traffic accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver each day in the United States – that’s equal to one death for every 48 minutes.
