Police Say Driver Who Hit and Killed Motorcyclist Was Likely Impaired

The accident that took the life of a motorcycle rider Tuesday evening in Kennewick was caused by a driver that police believe was impaired.

Around 8:20pm at the busy intersection of Clearwater and Edison, a motorcycle ridden by 31-year-old Lionel Biruetta was headed west on Clearwater  when he was killed by a truck driven by 28-year-old Katie Summers, who was eastbound.

She was turning left, or south onto Edison, and apparently didn't see him. She turned literally right in front of him, and he slammed into her vehicle. Biruetta was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses on social media reported seeing passers-by and other drivers who saw the crash and stopped trying to perform CPR on him prior to the arrival of First Responders.

Police say they believe alcohol and/or drugs were involved in the accident. Summers fled the scene, but was later located in the Albertson's parking lot. She was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run.  She is in the Benton County jail, the investigation continues.