A Richland man is in the Umatilla County Jail on DUII and other charges following a motor vehicle accident Friday night in Hermiston in which three people were seriously injured.
Just after 8:30 p.m. on Friday, the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a motor vehicle crash, southwest of Hermiston on Westland Road near the Agnew Road intersection. Sheriff’s patrol and Umatilla County Fire District 1 (UCFD1) responded to the scene.
Two vehicles were involved in the crash – a 2004 GMC Envoy driven by Efrain Narcizo-Mateos, 23, from Richland, Wash., and a 2012 red Ford driven by Brady Frischman, 25, of Gresham. The Ford also carried passengers Daniel Breece, 22, of Portland, and Alyssa Ray, 23, from Philomath.
Investigation of the crash revealed that Narcizo-Mateos was westbound on Westland Road, while Frischman was traveling eastbound. The vehicle driven by Narcizo-Mateos, moved over into the eastbound lane heading straight at the vehicle driven by Frischman, who turned in an attempt to avoid the crash. Narcizo-Mateos’ vehicle struck Frischman’s vehicle on the passenger side.
All three occupants of the 2012 Ford were injured; Breece was flown via Life Flight to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, after crews from UCFD 1 extricated him from the vehicle. Frischman and Ray were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. The Sheriff’s Office did not comment further on these injuries, “except to say their injuries were significant, but all three seem to be doing OK,” said Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan.
Narcizo-Mateos was uninjured and was later arrested on three counts of third-degree assault, driving under the influence (alcohol), reckless driving, three counts of reckless endangering, and hit-and-run injury. He was lodged at Umatilla County Jail.