News Drunk driving blamed for three fatalities in Highway 30 crash; driver jailed

The Benton County Sheriff's received a report of an automobile accident with fatal injuries near 7287 16th Avenue south of Keystone on Saturday evening.

Authorities say a drunk driver from Texas ran a stop sign while he was driving north on 16th Avenue and entered Highway, 30, where his 2012 GMC pickup hit an eastbound 2004 Chevrolet Impala, killing all three people in that vehicle. The ages of the victims were 22, 24 and 3. 

The pickup driver, identified as Raul Salazar, Jr., 39, of Bushland, Texas, has been arrested for OWI, three counts of vehicular homicide and preventing apprehension. 

A passenger in Salazar's truck, Gabriel Hernandez, 39, of Dysart, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Another passenger in Salazar's truck, Rafael Moreno , 29, of San Fernando, Calif., was also arrested and charged with preventing apprehension.

Names of the victims killed are being withheld pending notification of relatives.