Motorcycle Rider Dies in Saturday Evening Crash East Of Kennewick on SR 397

The driver of an SUV was cited for failure to yield stemming from a fatal Saturday night crash east of Kennewick.  The crash area is circled in red in the photo.

  Washington State Patrol Investigated the Crash

Although it's also known as Chemical Drive, officially the road that runs southeast from Kennewick to Finley is State Route 397, which stretches 22 miles, which is why the WSP handled the investigation.

Get our free mobile app

Around 8:20 PM Saturday evening, during a strong rainstorm, an Isuzu Trooper was headed north on SR 397, when it tried to turn west onto Perkins Road.  The vehicle slammed into a southbound motorcycle ridden by 36-year-old Lyle Mineer III.  He was pronounced dead before he could be transported, his passenger, 22-year-old Laurana Hechinger-Vantine, also of Kennewick, was seriously hurt.

   Passenger Rushed to Kadlec in Richland

Vantine was last known to be in critical condition, but specific injuries were not revealed.  The WSP said the Isuzu, driven by 29-year-old Jackie Thatcher of Kennewick, was cited for Failure to Yield, she and her passenger, 36-year-old Correy Tallman of Kennewick, were wearing seatbelts and not injured.

Both victims on the motorcycle were wearing helmets, the WSP says drugs or alcohol were not involved.  The investigation continues. There are some streetlights in the area of the intersection, although many other stretches of SR 397 are dark.