Trooper injured in I-5 crash released from hospital

CUSTER, Wash. — The Washington State Patrol says a trooper whose parked cruiser was struck along Interstate 5 was released from the hospital.

The Bellingham Herald reports that Trooper Benjamin C. Ellis had parked his patrol car on the highway a little south of the Canadian border to investigate a one-car rollover crash Friday afternoon. He was sitting in the cruiser with his lights flashing when the car was struck by a Buick LeSabre.

The LeSabre's driver died at the scene. She's been identified as Sandra Lee Clifford, a 72-year-old grandmother from Blaine.

Ellis was briefly trapped in his patrol car and suffered a head injury and concussion. He was released late Friday night after being treated at St. Joseph Hospital.

There was intense weather including hail at the time of the crash.