The Washington State Patrol is investigating after a person was found dead in the median near a busy Tri-Cities highway.
The unknown person was discovered near the eastbound lanes of Highway 240 at Interstate 182 around 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from WSP.
The wooded area is near Aaron Drive and the I-182 interchange in Richland.
A passing motorist pulled over to secure their load and spotted the body, WSP Lt. Dustin Drout told the Herald.
The body appears to have been there for a long period of time based on the conditions of the remains, he said.
Drout said the person appears to be a male, based on their hair style, but officers have not yet confirmed the person’s age or gender.
“There was no apparent cause of death, and no indications the subject was involved in a collision. At this time we’re investigating to rule out suspicious circumstances, hopefully we’ll have a better picture as the scene investigation progresses,” Drout said.
It’s unclear how long traffic will be impacted, but the WSDOT Travel Map was still showing some heavy delays in the area as of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Traffic streams past on I-182, as investigators from the Washington State Patrol document the scene were a person was found dead in the median of eastbound Highway 240 to Interstate 182 in Richland.
Increase in pedestrians being hurt
If the man turns out to be a pedestrian he will be the fourth person from the Tri-Cities injured or killed recently.
A Richland man was hit by a car in Yakima around 10 p.m. on Tuesday while crossing the Interstate 82 on-ramp. Juan D. Galvan, 31, was taken to a Yakima hospital to be treated for his injuries, according to a WSP news release.
A little more than a week ago, a homeless man was killed trying to cross Lewis Street in the dark in Pasco.
On Nov. 4, a pedestrian was severely injured crossing the street on the 1100 block of West 10th Avenue by the Arlo Apartments, near Park Middle School, in Kennewick.
