Semi truck Accident Lawyer WA
On Wednesday, January 8th 2025, a multi-vehicle accident involving a semi-truck and a car occurred. Unfortunately, this accident resulted in multiple fatalities. 18-year-old Shayanne Cicherski of Fruitland, Washington, was driving southbound on Espanola Road (also known as Wood Road) near Airway Heights. At the intersection with the highway US Route 2, she did not stop at the stop sign and instead continued on through the intersection. It is not known if she simply did not see the stop sign, or thought it was safe to drive through. Washington State Patrol has confirmed that driving conditions were not a factor. When she entered the intersection, her car collided with a semi-truck going west. The force of the T-bone crash caused Cicherski’s car to become trapped underneath the trailer of the semi-truck. An investigation into what happened is still underway.
All three of the people in the car were injured in the accident. A 16-year-old boy from Wellpinit, Washington, was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for treatment for his severe blunt-force trauma head injuries. He was identified by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office as Sweeny Holt-Stearns. Sweeny passed away later that same day. On Monday, January 13th, Shayanne Cicherski died at the same hospital from her injuries. Although she fought hard to survive, her brain injuries were just too devastating to overcome. There was also a 13-year-old boy in the car named Ryder who was injured in the crash, but he is expected to recover. The driver of the semi-truck did not suffer any injuries in the accident.
The community is reeling from the devastating loss of these two young people. Both of the deceased were members of the Spokane Native American tribe. The tribe’s news release expressed condolences and prayers to the loved ones of the victims. The Wellpinit School District, where the victims attended, also released a statement about the tragic accident. They want the community to focus on supporting the families as they grieve. The school district also extended thanks to various tribal organizations and the schools in the district. They emphasized keeping the youth safe, and bonding together as a community.
Sweeny Holt-Stearns was on a school basketball team, the Wellpinit Redskins. The team spoke of how Sweeny was caring, kind, determined, a hard worker, and a skilled athlete, and was an amazing young man. His spirit inspired others, and he will leave a lasting impact on those who knew him. His mother remembers him as a hero. His family made the decision to donate Sweeny’s organs because they believed he would have wanted that. His heart, liver, and kidneys were donated to people that needed them. His heart was quickly transplanted into another young man, saving his life. A candle lighting and balloon release in his honor took place at the Ford Youth Center on Saturday the 11th. A religious ceremony was also held for him on Tuesday the 14th at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home.
The other individual who died from the accident, Shayanne, was popular and well-liked in the community. She had many friends, and was always smiling and laughing. For the short time that she was here, she brought joy to the lives of those who knew her. She recently graduated from high school and had plans for her future. Her family will miss her greatly, and will keep her memory alive. On January the 13th, she had her organ donor walk at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Like Sweeny, she also had her organs donated. Bad Canyon Drum sung for her to help on her journey to the afterlife.
Traumatic Brain injury lawyer Washington
When a tragic accident such as this one occurs, people are left with many questions about how something like this could happen. There are a variety of causes behind T-bone accidents. Some of the causes include running a stop sign or red light, such as what happened in this case. When a car goes through the intersection when they don’t have the right of way, they could strike the side of another vehicle, or be struck themselves. Another cause of T-bone accidents is if a car’s tires lose traction with the road, or if the driver loses control of the vehicle somehow. This can cause the vehicle to skid, potentially going into the path of another vehicle that could hit it. Lastly, reckless driving can cause T-bone accidents. Engaging in behaviors such as drunk driving, cutting across lanes of traffic, or speeding can cause T-bone accidents.
T-bone accidents are also called side-strike accidents. They are named because of the position of the vehicles involved, which is shaped roughly like the letter “T.” One of the vehicles hits the side of another vehicle, usually with its front end. Most often, T-bone accidents happen at intersections where two roads converge at 90 degrees. It’s important to note that T-bone accidents are not the same as side-swipe accidents. The positioning of the cars is different; side-swipe accidents are caused when two vehicles are parallel to each other, and the sides of them hit against each other. Many car accidents happen at intersections, regardless of the type of accident. About 36 percent of auto accidents occur at intersections, and many of them result in injuries and death.
The vehicle that hits the other in a T-bone accident is the one that is more dangerous to be in. The driver and passengers may suffer from injuries such as blunt force trauma, traumatic brain injuries, whiplash, lacerations, broken bones, internal injuries, contusions, burns, and more. The force of two cars hitting each other can have a devastating effect on the human body. A victim could hit against the interior of the vehicle or airbags, be crushed by debris, or be ejected from the vehicle. Victims of T-bone accidents may end up with chronic pain or other debilitating symptoms, or may die from their injuries.
If you or a loved one was injured in a T-bone accident (or any other type of accident), reach out to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At Sears Injury Law, our job is to help ease the suffering of injury victims and their families.
We fight to stand up for the rights of injury victims, and work to recover significant compensation. Without a lawyer by your side, insurance companies know that they can take advantage of you at your most vulnerable. Reach out to Sears Injury Law so that our experts can go over your options with you. We will provide you with a free case value analysis.