GORDON KING/Yakima Herald-Republic Julia Sellberg is helped from the sport utility vehicle she was driving when it collided with a larger Yakima Fire Department SUV on July 22, 2008 at the intersection First Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. No one was seriously hurt in the accident. Links   E-mail             Print              Comments Advertisement

No serious injuries were reported, but traffic was snarled at one of the city’s busiest intersections Tuesday afternoon when a small sport utility vehicle crashed into a fire department command rig responding to an alarm.

The crash happened about 3:35 p.m. at the intersection of North First Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Police said Julia Sellberg, 61, of Yakima was driving a Toyota RAV-4 east on MLK Boulevard when she failed to notice the lights and siren of the fire rig, a larger sport utility vehicle.

Sellberg’s vehicle tipped over, spun around and landed on its roof. Also in the vehicle was Sellberg’s 10-year-old granddaughter.

Yakima fire Battalion Chief Rod Vetsch was driving the fire vehicle south on First Street, police said.

Sgt. Gary Jones said witnesses estimated both vehicles were traveling at or below the speed limits — 35 mph for First Street, and 30 mph for MLK Boulevard.

Fire Chief Charlie Hines said the command rig appeared to have almost stopped prior to the crash. The vehicle had only minor grill damage, Hines said.

No tickets were issued at the scene. The crash remained under investigation.

All occupants were wearing seat belts. Intoxicants were not involved, police said.

The roadway was cleared by 5 p.m.