Independence man dies in Highway 18 head-on crash as second fatality in 2 days

An Independence man died in a head-on crash Monday evening on Highway 18 in Polk County, the second fatal crash on the highway in two days.

Oregon State Police and medics responded to a two-car crash around 7:50 p.m. near milepost 15, west of Grand Ronde.

Police said Steven Donaldson, 67, was heading east on the highway in a black Toyota Camry 4D, when he crossed into the westbound lane and collided with an oncoming Honda Accord. Investigators are unsure why Donaldson crossed into the other lane.

Donaldson died at the scene. His passenger, a 35-year-old Brownsville woman, was taken to the hospital.

The condition of the driver of the Honda Accord, a 22-year-old Lincoln City man, was not reported.

Highway 18 was closed for about three hours.

Another fatal, head-on crash occurred Saturday night just a few miles away.

Gary Young, 76, of Naches, Washington, was killed after crossing into an oncoming lane of traffic and striking a gray Dodge van carrying a man and woman from Monmouth.

The driver of an oncoming GMC pickup then struck the Dodge van, police said.

Police responded to the collision near milepost 17, prompting an hours-long closure of the highway.

Young's passenger and the driver and passenger on the Dodge were all taken to the hospital with injuries.

The driver and passenger of the GMC pickup, a man and woman of Vancouver, Washington, respectively, were uninjured.

Grand Ronde fire and police departments and officials from the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted state police during both crashes.

Virginia Barreda is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at 503-399-6657 or at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon man dies in Highway 18 crash; second fatality in 2 days