Federal Way woman dies from I-90 accident injuries as passenger in pickup driven by Kent man | Update

By STEVE HUNTER
Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter
June 17, 2011 · Updated 10:13 AM 

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A 20-year-old Federal Way woman died early Friday morning after being injured in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday as a passenger in a pickup driven by a Kent man on Interstate 90 near Cle Elum.

The accident occurred at about 9 p.m. Wednesday along westbound I-90 at the Indian John Hill rest area, about 4 miles east of Cle Elum, according to a Washington State Patrol media release.

Shelby D. Niemela, of Federal Way, died at 5:57 a.m. Friday, according to the State Patrol. She had suffered head and internal injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Niemela was wearing a seat belt.

Gregory T. Karlin, 22, of Kent, was driving a 2002 Ford Ranger westbound on I-90 when the truck left the roadway to the right, went through a state Department of Transportation fence and struck a 2001 Kenworth truck legally parked in the rest area, according to the State Patrol.

Karlin sustained facial cuts and was transported to Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. The pickup was totaled.

Ronald G. Humbach, 66, of Jerome, Idaho, the driver of the semi-truck, was not injured.

The cause of the accident remained under investigation, but alcohol or drugs were involved, according to the State Patrol. Any charges against the Kent man are pending.


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Contact Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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