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News brief: Questions unanswered on why infant was ejected in Jackson Highway crash

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said it’s not clear exactly what caused a baby to be ejected from the car in the wreck that left its driver dead on Sunday evening south of Chehalis.

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Jackson Highway, Chehalis

Deputies and firefighters responded just before 9:45 p.m. to the single-vehicle collision along the 3100 block of Jackson Highway.

Kelsie Gonzalez, 31, of Chehalis, was dead at the scene and her infant passenger was found outside of the car.

Newaukum Valley Fire and Rescue Firefighter Brad Bozarth said the car hit a fence, a parked van and couple of trees before coming to rest against another tree, in someone’s yard.

The sheriff’s office’s initial information was Gonzalez was traveling southbound at a high rate of speed, and went airborne after striking a ditch.

Sheriff’s Cmdr. Dusty Breen said the 1-year-old’s car seat was still inside the 1990 Acura and secured in the car, but the straps which would have been holding the baby to its car seat were not fastened.

“Based on this it is unclear where the child was and how the exact ejection of the child occurred,” Breen indicated.

He said the baby was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where it was still undergoing treatment the following morning. He didn’t know if the child was a girl or a boy.

Breen said he expected to know more by Friday, as the investigating deputy would be finishing the report after days off.

The Lewis County Coroner’s Office said Gonzalez died from internal injuries from the impact.