Franklin Connection - Serving Franklin County, WA

PASCO — A Kennewick man is charged with negligent driving after allegedly causing a four-vehicle crash at about 5:23 a.m. today, Thursday, July 29.

Nicolas Perez Cruz, 38, of Kennewick, was eastbound on Interestate 182 in a 2016 Toyota Corolla, when he allegedly caused a chain-reaction crash near the U.S. Highway 395 interchange, the Washington State Patrol said.

Cruz was the fourth vehicle in a line of traffic at the time of the crash, the patrol said. When other traffic slowed, Cruz did not.

Cruz's vehicle struck a 1997 Ford Mustang, driven by Roberto J. Sanchez Padilla, 24, of Richland, the patrol said, noting Padilla was also accused of negligent driving.

Padilla's car then hit a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, driven by Norma A. Cano, 51, of Pasco, the patrol said. Cano's vehicle was then pushed into a 2015 Dodge Dart, driven by Adriana Murillo Magana, 34, of Kennewick.

Magana was injured in the crash and transported to a local hospital, the patrol said.

All four drivers were wearing seatbelts, the patrol said, noting neither alcohol nor drugs was a factor.

Both Cruz and Padilla were cited for second-degree negligent driving, the patrol said, noting the crash was the result of "inattention."