SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — One person is dead after a crash involving a motorcycle and car in Spokane Valley on Tuesday morning.
The crash happened at about 10:45 a.m. near Crimson Hearth on East Sprague Avenue near Gillis Road, Corporal Mark Gregory with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office said in a press release on Tuesday afternoon. Initial information indicates that the driver of a Subaru crossed in the westbound lanes of the road, colliding head-on with the motorcycle, Gregory said. Citizens stopped to help and provided first aid along with Spokane Valley deputies who arrived at the scene.
Crimson Hearth, a restaurant in Spokane Valley, announced in a Facebook post that they would close for the rest of the day and reopen on Wednesday morning following the crash.
"Due to an unfortunate vehicle collision that took place outside of our establishment this morning, we have decided to close for the remainder of the day and will re open tomorrow morning at 7:00AM," the post reads. "Please join us in prayer for all of those involved and we hope for a speedy recovery and complete healing!"
When authorities arrived at the scene, initial information indicated that the motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, was critically injured and not breathing. The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital but later died despite the efforts of deputies, citizens, Spokane Valley Fire and other emergency personnel, Gregory said.
The Subaru driver, a woman in her 30s, appeared to have minor injuries but was taken to the hospital for further observation, according to Gregory.
All westbound lanes on Sprague Avenue were closed for several hours and some lanes reopened at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Gregory said Spokane Valley Traffic Unit Investigators are working to determine what led up to and caused the fatal crash.
According to a KREM 2 News crew on the scene, the sheriff’s office used a drone to take aerial photos of the crash.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information who has not been interviewed by deputies is asked to call Traffic Unit Corporal Jeff Welton at 509-477-3237.
