SHINE, Wash. – A married couple were killed in a head-on collision at the intersection just west of the Hood Canal Bridge where Highway 104 meets Paradise Bay Road.
The crash occurred on November 14 and was confirmed in a statement from Washington State Patrol on Monday, November 27.
The intersection where the crash occurred is slated for a safety project in 2024 that will add a roundabout to the highway with exits/entrances on to Paradise Bay Road and Shine Road. The $4.6 million project is specifically planned to “reduce the severity and frequency of head-on crashes and improve the flow of traffic,” according to WSDOT.
83-year-old Wilbur Jurden and 82-year-old Judith Jurden of Nordland, Washington were attempting to enter the highway when they turned their truck left to head toward the bridge. Instead, they ran head-on into a vehicle driven by 58-year-old Alan Chan of Sequim.
The Jurdens, who were wearing seatbelts, were killed in the collision. The Sequim man sustained injuries and was taken to the Jefferson Medical Center.
Washington State Patrol said the cause of the crash was cited as a failure to yield to oncoming traffic.