Tragedy struck shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. 32-year-old Claudio Navarro Bernal, of Bridgeport, Washington, succumbed to injuries he sustained in a multi-vehicle collision in Douglas County.

The account below was relayed by the Washington State Patrol.

40-year-old Tomas Floresteran, of Quincy, Washington, was heading eastbound on SR28.

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Navarro Bernal was westbound on SR28. He crossed the center line and struck Floresteran head on.

Both vehicles came to rest, fully blocking SR28.

Navarro Bernal was pronounced dead at the scene. He was driving solo at the time of the incident and reportedly not wearing a seatbelt. Floresteran was accompanied by a single passenger: 42-year-old Carolina Cortez Garcia, also of Quincy.

Both Floresteran and Cortez Garcia had their seatbelts fastened. Both sustained unspecified (but non-fatal) injuries, for which they were treated at Central Washington Hospital.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. It is not yet clear if Navarro Bernal was under the influence of intoxicants.

The incident vehicles were:

  • A 2005 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Navarro Bernal; the vehicle was totaled
  • A 2023 Toyota Tacoma driven by Floesteran; the vehicle was totaled