One dead following multi-vehicle crash in Latah County

One person is dead following a multi-vehicle crash that happened Wednesday afternoon on HWY-95 in Latah County.

According to the Idaho State Police, a brown 2010 Toyota Venza was driving eastbound on HWY-66 and had made a right turn to travel southbound of HWY-95. At the same time, a 2009 Peterbilt semi-truck hauling cargo was traveling southbound and made emergency maneuvers to avoid the Toyota. The semi-truck briefly swerved into the northbound left turn lane before swerving back into the southbound lanes to avoid a collision with northbound traffic. 

The trailer of the semi-truck then struck the Toyota, which rebounded off the guardrail, crossed left of center into northbound traffic, and struck a white 2022 Ram 2500 pickup head-on. 

The driver of the Toyota, identified as a 70-year-old woman from Palouse, Wash., was wearing a seatbelt but succumbed to her injuries and died at the scene. The driver of the Ram truck, a 57-year-old man from Otis Orchards, Wash., sustained severe injuries and was transported to an out of area hospital via air ambulance. 

The semi-truck driver, a 56-year-old man from Ferdinand in Idaho County, was uninjured.

The deceased's next of kin has been notified. 

HWY-95 was fully blocked for about four and a half hours but has since reopened. An investigation into the incident continues.