Charles Ferree, Deolia Blandford Death – Two individuals who were involved in a collision with a Washington State Patrol trooper on Saturday have been identified by the Mason County Coroner. Charles Ferree, 72, and Deolia Blandford, 49, both residents of Ollala, tragically lost their lives at the scene of the accident on U.S. 101, approximately six miles south of Shelton. Coroner Jaime Taylor shared this information in a Facebook post and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
The collision took place around 2:37 p.m. when the trooper was crossing the intersection of U.S. 101 and Lynch Road. As a result, the roadway remained closed for a significant period of time, as stated in a news release by the State Patrol. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is currently leading the investigation into the incident.
In a separate Facebook post, the Sheriff’s Office revealed that the trooper was responding to another emergency in the area with lights and sirens activated, heading southbound on U.S. 101 at the time of the collision. First responders discovered Ferree and Blandford deceased at the scene, while the trooper sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital as a precautionary measure, according to the State Patrol news release.