COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ore. — According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), one man is dead after a head-on crash with a Freightliner.
On Friday at approximately 1:47 p.m., OSP responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 30 near milepost 34 in Columbia County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a gold Nissan Pathfinder, operated by Gary Michael George, 69, of Rainier, was traveling eastbound on Highway 30 near Columbia City when it crossed the center line and collided head-on with a loaded white Freightliner commercial motor vehicle, operated by Kulwinder Singh, 36, of Auburn, Wash. The Nissan was reported to have been observed passing traffic in the oncoming travel lane prior to the crash.
George was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Singh was reportedly not injured. He remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation.
The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia City Police Department, Rainier Police Department, Columbia River Fire and Rescue, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
This is an ongoing investigation and no further information is available at this time.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
