Fatal Crash Near Sunnyside Caused by Driver Running Stop Sign

Thursday, October 26th. the Yakima County Sheriff's Office released information following an investigation into a fatal car vs. semi crash near Sunnyside.

YCSO says a Honda driver failed to stop at a stop sign

Around 1:33 PM on Tuesday, a Honda Accord was approaching the intersection of Vanbelle and Bethany Roads, which is about 2.5 miles northeast of Sunnyside.

As the Honda was headed east on Vanbelle Road, it failed to stop at the stop sign with Bethany, and as it traveled through the intersection it slammed into a large flatbed trailer being towed by a southbound semi-truck on Bethany Road.

The YCSO says traffic on Bethany has the right of way, as both east and westbound lanes of Vanbelle have stop signs at this intersection. When emergency crews and Deputies arrived at the scene the Honda was sitting in the middle of the intersection.

EMS from Sunnyside and Lower Valley Fire Departments responded to the scene quickly, but despite multiple efforts, the driver, identified as 25-year-old Junior Angiano, died of his injuries at the scene. The YCSO and Sunnyside Police had also responded.

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Officials say the driver of the semi was not under the influence of any alcohol or narcotics. He was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation by the YCSO Motor Traffic Unit. The YCSO says Angiano is the 22nd person to die this year in a traffic accident in Yakima County.