The Orcas Island community is mourning the loss of a beloved young couple who was killed in a head-on crash in eastern Washington.
David Klein, 22, and Ella Weaver, 20, both of Eastsound, died Friday, May 1, following a chain-reaction crash on US 97 east of Chelan, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The three-vehicle collision happened around 9:10 p.m. near milepost 233 just north of Chelan Falls.
Investigators said a southbound vehicle crossed into the northbound lanes and struck an oncoming car head-on. A third vehicle then collided with one of the damaged vehicles, triggering a chain-reaction crash.
Klein and Weaver were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The driver accused of crossing the centerline, a 47-year-old man from Republic, was also killed in the crash.
Two other men involved in the collision — a 53-year-old Omak man and a 53-year-old Bridgeport man — suffered injuries and were taken to Lake Chelan Health Hospital, police said.
Authorities said the crash involved a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, a 2001 Honda Civic, and a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Two of the vehicles were destroyed.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Troopers said it is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played a role.
The deaths of Klein and Weaver sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Orcas Island community, where both were well known.
In a statement on social media, Island Market owners Jacob and Jason Linnes said Klein had worked at the store since he was 18 years old.
“It has been a privilege to watch him grow from a courtesy clerk into a valued leader within our store,” they said. “He always brought a great attitude and was consistently willing to step in and help any team member in need.”
The owners also remembered Weaver as “a familiar and welcome presence” at community events.
“They both left a lasting mark on our Island Market family and will be deeply missed.”
Weaver worked as a licensed esthetician on Orcas Island. In an October social media post announcing her business, she wrote that she was “working and doing what I love on Orcas Island,” offering facial treatments, waxing, and eyelash and eyebrow services.
Funeral services for the couple had not been publicized as of Wednesday, May 6.
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