COUPEVILLE — A head-on collision early Thursday afternoon on Highway 525 south of Coupeville, near Admiral’s Cove, left one driver dead, two critically injured and blocked traffic in both directions on Whidbey Island’s main arterial for more than two hours.
Ansara Miller, 20, of Clinton, died as a result of her injuries. She was traveling northbound shortly after noon when the Toyota Camry she was driving crossed the center line and struck a Lexus driven by Carl Pennington, 77, with his wife, Soonie Pennington, 90, in the passenger seat, according to Mark Francis, public information officer with the Washington State Patrol.
The Penningtons, from Oak Harbor, both were transported to hospitals with critical injuries. Carl Pennington was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
An investigation by the State Patrol lasted more than two hours, leaving cars backed up for miles, with both lanes of traffic re-opening at about 2:30 p.m.
“There were drugs found at the scene,” Francis said.
Linda Kendrick, a longtime medical professional, was driving southbound on Highway 525 when she approached the scene of the accident, got out of her car and tried to help before emergency units had arrived.
She said she first rushed to Miller, recognizing she had critical injuries, but couldn’t get to her because of the crumpled car.
When she went over to the Penningtons, Kendrick said, she saw that they were seriously injured but were conscious and talking and not alone.
“There was a little white dog between them cradled in Carl’s arms,” Kendrick said.
As they waited for emergency personnel, Kendrick said she asked the couple questions to keep them alert and the three prayed together.
“Mostly, I was just trying to keep them calm and relaxed,” Kendrick said.
“They said they were headed down to Clinton to go crabbing. They said they didn’t know where the car came from, that it came out of nowhere.”
The accident was the second on the island’s main thoroughfare south of Coupeville involving a fatality in three days. On Tuesday, Charles E. Carlson of Seattle died in a single-car accident on Highway 20.
Thursday’s accident happened on a stretch of the highway where there are no alternate routes to allow drivers to continue north or south.
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