A Lewiston woman was transported to a hospital in Spokane after sustaining life-threatening injuries around her neck and chest from a three-car collision that occurred 10 a.m. April 10, eight miles south of Pullman on State Route 195. 

The woman’s current condition is unknown, Whitman County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Michael Jordan said. Two other people in the same car were also injured. They are both juveniles and were treated for minor injuries at Pullman Regional Hospital. The woman was also at PRH before being flown to Spokane. 

Three more people were involved in the crash: a driver and passenger from one car and a driver from the third. They were examined at the scene and had no injuries, Jordan said. 

The crash was caused by extreme weather conditions and unsafe driving, Jordan said. 

The road was extremely slick with snow and frozen-over rain. He said the weather was still bad when first responders arrived at the scene. 

“The weather was horrific … snow and ice were coming down sideways, strong winds and slick conditions,” Jordan said. 

The collision car, which was driven by the Lewiston woman, was going too fast northbound toward Pullman. She lost control and hit the side of another car driving in the opposite direction, Jordan said. 

The “causing” car spun out in the wrong lane. Its driver side, the Lewiston woman’s side, was hit by the third car — a pickup pulling a trailer — driving in that lane. 

The Lewiston woman was taken out of the car using the Jaws of Life, a tool used to safely remove smashed car doors from their frames, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office. 

First responders to the crash included people from the Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Fire District 12 and the Pullman Fire Department, according to the press release. 

The crash is still currently under investigation. Jordan said the department is not considering any infractions other than a driving ticket.