SHINE — An elderly Sequim man who was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center on Tuesday was listed in satisfactory condition on Wednesday.
Vladimir Naftulyev, 79, was airlifted to the Seattle hospital after his SUV was hit in the rear on state Highway 104 near its intersection with Garten Road at 3:44 p.m. Tuesday.
His Ford Expedition was hit by a van driven by Lovepreet Singh, 22, of Marysville and was pushed into the back of a Honda Accord driven by Joseph B. Hughes, 30, of Port Ludlow, the State Patrol said.
Neither Singh nor Hughes were hurt, troopers said.
Pushed into vehicle
Hughes was stopped in the eastbound lane of state Highway 104 waiting for traffic to clear so as to make a left turn onto Garten Road, the State Patrol said.
Naftulyev was stopped behind him.
Singh “did not stop or brake,” and hit Naftulyev’s vehicle which then collided with the back of Hughes’ car, the State Patrol said.
The cause of the wreck was inattention, the State Patrol said. Singh was cited for second-degree negligent driving.
All three drivers were wearing seat belts. Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as contributing to the wreck, troopers said
The wreck had blocked the highway in both directions until 5 p.m. when alternating traffic was instituted.
The roadway was fully cleared by 5:53 p.m., the state Department of Transportation said.
