Teen killed in double-fatal needed new kidney

A 16-year-old Great Falls, Mont., girl and her 17-year-old boyfriend were killed Tuesday evening when the vehicle they were riding in crossed the center median of Interstate 90 in Post Falls and struck three other vehicles. Destiney S. Moore was traveling with her mother, the boyfriend and another child to Seattle for kidney treatment, family members said. She died at the scene of the 6:11 p.m. accident, said Idaho State Police. Her boyfriend, Michael L. Martinez, 17, also of Great Falls, died at Kootenai Medical Center. The accident involved 11 persons with injuries to five, making it one of the worst accidents in the region in recent history. Gene Menghini, of Great Falls, the great-grandfather of Destiney Moore, said that the teen-ager was a being treated by physicians at Children’s Hospital in Seattle after having received a kidney transplant a number of years ago. However, the kidney that was transplanted was not functioning so she was on a list to receive another transplant, he said, and that was the reason for the trip to Seattle. “She’s been going there for about seven years,” he said. He described her as a trooper who never complained. “She smiled no matter what was going on,” he said. “She was wonderful.” Police said that the mother, Tracy M. Moore, 34, of Great Falls, was headed west when she lost control of her 2001 Ford Expedition and crossed into the eastbound lanes colliding with the three other vehicles, all driven by Spokane Valley residents. She was taken to Kootenai Medical Center and transferred to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center where she was in satisfactory condition today. Another passenger in her vehicle, daughter Perralisa P. Kessler, 5, was also taken to Kootenai Medical Center and transferred to Providence Sacred Heart in satisfactory condition today. One of the eastbound drivers, Marcia Thomas, 57, of Spokane Valley, was taken to Kootenai Medical Center and then transferred to Providence Sacred Heart where she was reported in critical condition today. Her passenger, Richard Thomas, 75, taken to KMC then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Wednesday. Thomas is in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Harborview, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday. Lt. Chris Schenck said the accident remained under investigation this morning, and it was too early in the investigation to determine how much of a factor, if any, that snow and ice may have played into the cause. He said alcohol was ruled out. “It’s a very tragic,” Schenck said. The driver of a third vehicle was identified as Evan B. Kinnick, 27, of Spokane Valley, in a 2007 Dodge pickup. He was taken to Kootenai Medical Center and treated and released. A fourth vehicle was driven by Christina A. Eschliman, 22, of Spokane Valley, in a 1998 Dodge Durango. She and three passengers were not hurt, police said.