MARION COUNTY, OR - The Oregon State Police (OSP) Is reporting that on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 9:32 p.m., OSP responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 214, at the intersection with Cascade Highway SE, in Marion County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Buick Encore, operated by Holly Jo Ann Seeley (55) of Mountain View (CA), entered a controlled intersection and was struck by an eastbound Chevrolet 3500, operated by Angel Hernandez-Rocha (18) of Salem, causing both vehicles to spin off the roadway and enter an adjacent field.
A passenger in the Buick, Phyllis Ilene Russo (88) of Mountain View (CA), who was not wearing a seatbelt was ejected from the vehicle and declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Buick (Seeley) suffered reportedly minor injury and was transported to an area hospital.
The operator of the Chevrolet (Hernandez-Rocha) and a passenger, a male juvenile (17) of Salem, suffered reportedly minor injuries and were transported an area hospital. Two additional passengers in the Chevrolet, a male juvenile (17) of Salem and a male juvenile (17) of Salem, were reportedly uninjured.
The highway was impacted for approximately seven hours during the on-scene investigation. Failure to obey a traffic control device is being considered the primary cause of the crash with operator impairment as an additional contributing factor.
OSP was assisted by the Stayton Fire Department, Marion County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that protects Oregon's people, wildlife, and natural resources. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
