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Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum led the Chehalis City Council and members of city staff and the public in a moment of silence in remembrance of Chehalis-Centralia Airport employee William Villanueva.
Villanueva, 43, of Raymond, died Friday, April 15, after his 2006 Subaru Impreza went off the road and struck a tree while he was traveling westbound on state Route 6 near mile marker 20 at about 1:45 p.m. near Frances, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Weather was considered a factor in the crash as it was hailing at the time.
The state patrol listed “driving too fast for conditions” as the cause of the crash. Drugs or alcohol were not involved, according to the state patrol. Villanueva was wearing a seat belt.
“At this moment, we will take a moment of silence in remembrance of Chehalis airport employee William Villanueva, who was a new staff (member) of about eight weeks at the airport,” Ketchum said during Monday’s city council meeting.
According to Ketchum, Villanueva was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and later became an aircraft maintenance technician for many years at Central Aircraft Repair.
Leaving behind his wife of 15 years and three daughters, Ketchum said Villanueva also left a vacant space with his new coworkers at the airport.
