Two Arizona residents killed in Highway 97 crash

Two Arizona residents were killed Friday afternoon when their station wagon crossed into the oncoming lanes of slush-covered Highway 97 in Sherman County and collided with a semi-truck and pickup, Oregon State Police said Saturday.

OSP and emergency personnel responded around 2:20 p.m. Friday to the three-vehicle crash near milepost 45 and the town of Kent, OSP Lt. Cari Boyd said.

A preliminary investigation found that Masiele Pete, 58, of Maricopa, Arizona, was heading south when she lost control of a black 2010 Mercedes station wagon on the slush-covered road, Boyd said.

The station wagon crossed into the northbound lanes, first sideswiping a 2016 Peterbilt semi and trailer driven by Cary William Pickner, 51, of Eagle Creek, Oregon, the trooper said.

Pete’s station wagon was then struck broadside by a northbound black 2008 Nissan pickup driven by Anthony Guerrero De La Paz, 25, of Moses Lake, Washington.

Pete and his right-front passenger, Debra Mary Grosbusch, 50, also of Maricopa, Arizona, were prnounced dead at the scene, Boyd said.

Pickner, De La Paz and De La Paz’s passenger, Rachel Nicole Trapparo, 20, of La Verne, California, were taken by ambulance to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, where they were treated for non-life-threatening-injuries, OSP reported.

Boyd said speed and road conditions were being considered as possible contributing factors in the crash.

OSP was assisted at the crash scene by North Sherman Fire, South Sherman Fire, Sherman County Ambulance and ODOT.