Details about fatal accident released

Matt Baide | Feb 24, 20220

New details have emerged from a fatal accident at Sierra Pacific Industries in Shelton on Feb. 14.

According to Washington State Patrol District 8 spokeswoman Katherine Weatherwax, the wife of the driver said he was having “previous issues.” The driver seemed disoriented and didn’t know what happened after his truck hit the guard shack, according to Weatherwax.

The driver drove through a red light on First Street and West Railroad Avenue, hit the 8-inch curb, launching the truck into the air and onto the guard shack, according to the WSP spokeswoman.

No criminal charges have been filed.

According to a GoFundMe page, the man killed in the guard shack was Kyle Ford, a lifelong Shelton resident.

As of Wednesday morning, it had raised $9,567.

“There is never a satisfactory explanation for a senseless death,” wrote David Aykens on the GoFundMe page. “But those of us who knew and loved Kyle, will always remember his sense of humor, his loyalty and his genuinely pure heart. Kyle was never one to avoid his responsibilities and caring for his mother, Tracy, was a priority in his life. Since Kyle passed away, his family does not have immediate access to his account to keep the bills paid.”

Kent Ingalls arrived on the scene first and told the Journal his recount of the accident.

“I opened the driver side door and the elderly man was responsive but shaken,” Ingalls told the Journal. “We pulled the keys from the ignition and I made a quick assessment of the individual to ensure no major injury, but due to the smoke, we had to get him out of there as quickly as possible. Once he was safe aside, I ran back to the site asking everyone around to do a head count. Make sure everyone was accounted for. The workers present said they were all accounted for, ‘but there was a guard in that shack.’ I yelled and yelled asking if he could hear me and there was no response.”

To donate to the Kyle Ford Memorial Fund, go to https://tinyurl.com/58mmastk.