A Washington area man died after a high-speed crash that saw his vehicle get airborne as it crashed into the Yakima Airport traffic control tower – briefly shutting down traffic at the regional airport.
According to various reports, a car driving at a high rate of speed last Friday was unable to maneuver a tight corner near the Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field off Washington Avenue. As the car lost control it smacked into a couple of power transformers before going airborne and smashing into the air traffic control tower of the small regional airport.
According to NBC, the incident caused the airport to lose power and the flights were forced to be canceled for the day. The damage to the vehicle was so severe that the jaws of life were required to extricate the driver and the passenger from the vehicle.
Several news agencies also later reported that the 19-year-old driver succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital while the passenger remains in critical condition.
Local news reported that the man was likely driving under the influence and perhaps would have faced a vehicular assault charge for the severe injuries suffered by the 23-year-old passenger.
While flights have resumed at the airport, the air traffic control tower suffered severe damage and remains closed pending repairs.
Images: courtesy of Yakima Police Department
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