Three injured in traffic accident

Three people were injured in a four-vehicle traffic accident Monday morning at the Abe Creek passing lanes east of Cathlamet.

According to a report from the Washington State Patrol, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata driven eastbound by Holly Pfenniger of Cathlamet was parked on the shoulder, as Pfenniger checked on the driver of another vehicle which had slid off the snow covered highway into a ditch.

A second vehicle, a 1994 Honda Civic driven by Miguel P. Arteaga of Vancouver, was headed westbound and went out of control as it tried to pass an unknown vehicle in the passing lanes. The Civic collided with a 2008 Ford pickup driven eastbound by James W. Curl of Cathlamet, and both the Civic and pickup slid into Pfenniger's Sonata.

Curl, Arteaga, and José Valencia-Méndez, Vancouver, a passenger in Arteaga's vehicle, were transported to St. John Hospital for treatment of injuries. Pfenniger wasn't injured.

The investigating state trooper said no drugs or alcohol were involved, and all were using seatbelts. Charges may be filed in the future.