Local woman, son involved in CdA pileup
October 24, 2012
A Bonners Ferry woman and her six-year-old son were among several people involved in a 13-car pileup on U.S. 95 at Kathleen Avenue this afternoon in Coeur d'Alene.

Fortunately, neither were among the five people injured in the collisions, which closed the northbound lanes for about three hours.

According to the Idaho State Police, Pamela Gentis, 56, Reno, Nevada, was driving a 2010 International moving truck north on U.S. 95 at about 2:30 p.m. when she rear-ended a 2008 Ford F350 driven by David Pierce, 69, Greenacres, Washington, and setting off a chain reaction involving 13 vehicles stopped at the light on Kathleen Avenue.

Vehicle number six in the chain was Ingrid L. Olaru, 38, Bonners Ferry, driving a 2004 Subaru Legacy with her son, Andrei, 6. Both were wearing seatbelts and neither were injuredS.

In the next vehicle involved, however, a 2005 Kia Spectra, two people were injured; driver Michaela Olinger, 18, Oldtown, and passenger Chelsea Stillman, 29, Coeur d'Alene.

In the eighth vehicle involved, a Dodge Ram pickup, infant Maylee Mortenson was injured, and she and her mother, Jaylene Mortenson, 29, Washington, Utah, who was not injured, were taken to Kootenai Medical Center by private vehicle.

Richard Moser, 72, Rathdrum, driving a 2004 Dodge Ram, the ninth vehicle in the pileup, was also taken to the hospital by private vehicle. Those in the next three vehicles escaped injury, but the driver of the final vehicle, Jane Lathrop, was taken to KMC by ambulance.

All five who were injured were treated and released.

Others involved in the collision were Robert Grimm, 65, Coeur d'Alene, Sarah Johnson, 36, Athol, Kelly Glenn, 41, Coeur d'Alene, Fred Wagner, 55, and Della Wagner, 53, both of Tekoa, Washington, Faye Taylor, 34, Dalton Gardens, and Victoria Winkler, 64, Rathdrum.