On May 20, 2022, at about 3:00 am, the driver of a vehicle traveling at an extremely high rate of speed eastbound on Washington Avenue was unable to maintain control of the vehicle through the curve at 24th Avenue. The vehicle veered off the road and, ultimately, it impacted the Yakima Airport air traffic control tower.
The driver, 19-year-old Vance T. Jourdan III, was transported to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He was stabilized and an attempt was made to life-flight him to Harborview Medical Center for advanced medical treatment. Jourdan died from his injuries while enroute to the airport via ambulance.
The passenger, 23-year-old Austin G Devolve, sustained significant injuries from the collision. His medical treatment concluded at Harborview Medical Center and he has since been released. He is recovering at home.