Toppenish, Washington – Car Crashes Into Two Telephone Poles, Strikes Parked Car

Toppenish, Washington (November 23, 2019) – A car reported to have struck two telephone poles and a parked car in the area of West First Avenue on Saturday. After crashing into the parked car and another telephone pole, the driver of the vehicle tried to flee on foot. The Toppenish Police reported that a woman passenger had been thrown into the windshield due to the crash, but also attempted to flee the scene. No injuries were reported in the incident, and the driver has been arrested.

The incident started when police received a 911 call about a car that had crashed into a telephone pole at the end of West 1st Avenue and kept going. The location of the crash was near the station, and police were able to see the badly damaged car as it sped by. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued, later going into an alleyway between South Toppenish Avenue and South Alder Street. The vehicle kept going for around three blocks down the avenue, but eventually crashed into a parked car and then a telephone pole. The driver, identified as Santiago Leyva, is now charged with eluding, two counts of hit-and-run, and reckless endangerment.

About Vehicle Accidents

According to facts from the Insurance Institute Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute, about 20% of vehicle crash deaths are from striking a fixed object along the side of the road. The top three fixed objects that are struck in these cases are traffic barriers, trees, and similar to this case, utility poles. As for the causes of crashing into these objects, the case is generally that of driver error. Some of the top contributing factors are alcohol, driving under excessive speed, falling asleep or simply driver inattention. Additionally, a car crash caused by another vehicle can cause another vehicle to crash into another fixed object. Some situational factors are road conditions, weather, and poor visibility. In relation to poor visibility, almost half of the fatalities in crashes involving fixed objects are said to have occurred at night. While there are options such as placing breakaway or shielding objects along roads, or increasing the visibility of such fixed objects, the best solution is often to remove the fixed object if possible.

Regardless of the type of vehicle accident, the best way to solve a car accident is to try and prevent it. We urge all drivers to follow traffic regulations on the road. This includes following road safety, making sure one’s vehicle is stable and ready for the road, and making sure that one is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel. Additionally, one should take extra caution on roads where there are possible hazards. In doing these steps, we can ensure our chances of avoiding any loss, damage, death or injuries while on the street.

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