YAMHILL COUNTY, OR - On Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 9:41 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on Hwy 18, near the intersection with Hwy 99 at McDougall Rd, in Yamhill County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Mercury Grand Marquis, operated by Francisco Nava (45) of Newberg, turned onto westbound Hwy 18 from southbound Hwy 99 and lost control after traveling a short distance. The Mercury spun into the eastbound lane of Hwy 18 and was struck at the rear end of the vehicle by an eastbound Chevrolet Bounder RV, operated by Terra Wippert (45) of Browning (MT).
The operator of the Mercury (Nava) was transported for medical treatment and was later declared deceased.
The operator of the Bounder RV (Wippert) was reportedly not injured. A female juvenile (5) passenger reportedly suffered minor injuries and was transported for evaluation. A female juvenile (15) and a male juvenile (3) were reportedly uninjured.
The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Dayton Fire Department, McMinnville Fire Department, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU)
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.
