Highway 18 crash kills one, injures Grand Ronde residents

Oregon State Police photo##The scene of a multi-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 18 near Otis.

OTIS - One person was killed and two Grand Ronde residents were injured in a multi-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on Highway 18 near Otis.

The Oregon State Police gave this account:

Shortly before 4 p.m., law enforcement and medical personnel responded to the scene near North Deer Drive.

A 1995 Eagle Talon was westbound when it crossed the centerline and crashed head-on into a 2016 Ford Explorer. The Talon driver, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Explorer driver, 68-year-old Robert James and his passenger, 67-year-old Barbara James, both of Grand Ronde, were transported by ambulance to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City with minor injuries.

A 1993 Subaru Legacy, which was following the Talon, was struck by that car as it spun back into the westbound lane. The Subaru driver, 25-year-old Anjali Singh of Lincoln City, was not injured.

A secondary crash occurred after a westbound Kia Sedan struck a stopped Chevrolet Cavalier a few yards from the original crash scene.

Use of a controlled substance by the Talon driver is believed to have contributed to the crash.

The highway was shut down for three hours with a detour in place. OSP was assisted by three Lincoln County agencies.