A driver faces many counts after a fatal wrong-way incident on State Route 14 late Monday night.
The Washington State Patrol said that the incident occurred just before 11 p.m. near Camas’ exit 14. According to troopers, a Mercedes was heading in the wrong direction when it crashed head-on with another vehicle, killing one and badly wounding two others.
Michael O’Brien, 18, of Portland, Oregon, died in the crash. He was a senior in Roosevelt High School.
In a letter to the school community, Roosevelt High School Principal KD Parman stated that the two other casualties, seniors Jack Craig and Will Rinehart, were hospitalized and in stable condition.
Ayden Unruh, a witness, said he spotted the wrong-way driver, later identified as Erik Moya, 23, from Vancouver. Unruh claimed he tried to warn approaching traffic by following the Mercedes on the other side of the median and activating his horn and hazard lights.
The Washington State Patrol stated it received at least ten 911 calls before to the crash. Unruh stated that he was on the phone with dispatchers for around 10 minutes.
“They told me they didn’t have anyone available and were tied up with other calls, so they didn’t have anyone to send at the moment,” she claimed. “But they were working on it.”
According to a department representative, a trooper responded promptly following the incident from milepost 16 on Interstate 5. When the incident was first reported, two other units were responding to other calls.
Moya is suspected of driving while under the influence. He was taken to the Clark County Jail on accusations of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.
“It could have been easily prevented,” Unruh remarked. “They shouldn’t have had to lose their son over this.”
O’Brien, often known as “Mico” to his friends and family, was only a few days away from getting his high school diploma.
“He was a shining light, and we’re all heartbroken. His relatives and friends referred to him as Mico. “He had a very gentle, kind spirit and will be greatly missed,” O’Brien’s grandfather, Norman, said in a family statement.
Reference: Wrong-way crash with suspected DUI driver claims life of graduating high school senior
