KITTITAS, Wash. – An Illinois man was charged with DUI and endangering a roadway worker on Saturday night after crashing into a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) snowplow truck on I-90 south of Kittitas.
The driver of the snowplow, who was applying product to the roadway at the time of the crash, was injured and transported to Kittitas Valley Healthcare.
According to a press release from Washington State Patrol, the 29-year-old from Mount Prospect, Illinois was driving a semi-truck eastbound on I-90 at around 7:52 p.m. when he crashed into the WSDOT snowplow. The plow entered the median and rolled.
“Our driver was transported to an Ellensburg hospital for evaluation,” WSDOT wrote in a social media post. “We are relieved to hear that he was released, though he is experiencing some soreness this morning.”
“While we’re grateful to hear our driver is ok, what happened last night is inexcusable. When our plows are actively treating the roads, they must drive slower than normal to apply product effectively and evenly.”
WSDOT further emphasized drivers should exercise caution especially when sharing the roadways with snowplows.
“Do not crowd or pass our plows while they’re working. We want all of our equipment to be available when a snowstorm comes, but—more importantly—we want everyone to get home safely at the end of the day.”
This article was updated on January 18 at 10:50 a.m. with additional information and photos from WSDOT. Originally published on January 28, 2026 at 10:31 am.
