Wrong-way driver slams into semi. It’s the 2nd Tri-Cities highway head-on in 2 days

A second wrong-way crash of the weekend in the Tri-Cities area caused serious injuries and closed westbound Interstate 82 near Dallas Road for hours Sunday morning.

A Ford F-250 pickup was headed east in the westbound lanes of the interstate, driven by Roberto M. Ramirez, 37, of Mesa, at 5:30 a.m., according to the Washington State Patrol.

The pickup crashed head on into a westbound semi truck driven by Emil K. Karimov, 53, of Broomfield, Colo., just southeast of the Dallas Road interchange, a mile from Richland.

Dispatchers called for extrication equipment and the interstate was cleared for a Lifeflight air ambulance landing, according to preliminary information.

Westbound lanes were closed to traffic until one lane reopened about 9:15 a.m., according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.

One eastbound lane of the interstate also was closed to traffic.

Both drivers were taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. Karimov had been transferred to another hospital by Sunday afternoon and no information was immediately available on Ramirez.

WSP Trooper Chris Thorson posted on social media that there were serious injuries.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with no initial determination whether alcohol was involved. Charges against Ramirez are pending, according to the WSP.

In the earlier Tri-Cities wrong way crash of the weekend, a driver entered Highway 240 in Richland just before midnight Saturday morning heading the wrong direction from the Steptoe Street roundabout.

The SUV she was driving crashed head on into a Toyota Camry driven by Marshall E. Tapani, 26, of Pasco.

Tapani was taken to Kadlec, where he died, according to WSP reports.

The wrong way driver, Katie B. Torguson, 33, of Kennewick, is accused of being drunk or intoxicated, according to the Washington State Patrol.

She also was taken to Kadlec and remained in critical condition on Sunday.

Troopers are investigating the crash as a vehicular homicide, according to WSP Trooper Chris Thorson.