A Montesano woman was killed Monday in a crash three miles west of McCleary.
The crash reported at 1:41 p.m. involved a 2006 Honda CRV and a 1997 Mercury Sable in the eastbound lanes of state Route 8 near McKnight Road, according to the Washington State Patrol. The two cars were driving side by side when the driver of the Honda, 32-year-old Jared C. Liening of Grayland, changed lanes and hit the driver’s side of the Mercury.
The Mercury went off the road to the right, hit a tree and landed in Wildcat Creek. The Honda went off the road to the left, hitting a cable barrier before crossing SR 8 and stopping 30 feet off the road.
The driver of the Mercury, Karen L. Sawyer, 60, of Montesano, died at the scene. Her passenger, Sheila J. Hamilton, 47, of Elma, was taken to Capitol Medical Center in Olympia.
Liening was injured and was taken to Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma.
The crash blocked traffic for nearly five hours.The cause was under investigation.
ckrotzer@theolympian.com
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