17-Year-Old Boy Killed In Mossyrock Crash

A 17-year-old boy died after the car he was riding in crashed into a logging truck near Mossyrock, said the Washington State Patrol.

Family and friends gathered Wednesday for a candlelight vigil for Ryan Rashoff who died just blocks from Mossyrock High School, where he was a student.

Rashoff was riding in a car driven by 17-year-old Benjamin Lamotte and they were traveling north on Williams Road at state Route 12 toward state Route 122 at about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Their vehicle stopped at a stop sign and continued north when a logging truck hit the vehicle on the passenger’s side. Rashoff died at the scene.

Lamotte was airlifted to Madigan Army Medical Center with critical injuries. Officials would not comment on his condition Wednesday.

The driver of the unloaded logging truck, 53-year-old Vance Steen, was not injured.

Family and friends believe a stop light at the intersection would have prevented their heartache.

“This was everybody's kind of big brother and watched out for the little kids,” said Ryan’s mother, Lori Rashoff.

“He was a special kid. A pain in the rear sometimes, but somebody you couldn't stay mad at, even if you wanted to,” said Ryan’s sister, Kendra Rashoff.

Students marched out of their classes into the intersection where the crash happened and held a vigil for their friend.

Late in the afternoon Wednesday, the Washington State Department of Transportation met with Ryan’s family along with members of the community and students to discuss how the intersection can be better. The community asked for a new traffic light at the intersection.

“I just don't want to see this go for naught. If I'd lost my son, maybe they can do something about this so somebody else doesn't lose theirs,” said Ryan’s father, Ronald Rashoff.

WSDOT promised a complete investigation into the safety of the intersection and said it will begin next week.