CLATSOP COUNTY, OR - On Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 6:04 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Hwy-30, near milepost 77, in Clatsop County.
The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Mazda 3, operated by August Aleksander Crawford (26) of Clatskanie, attempted to pass an eastbound Freightliner CMV and trailer, operated by Steven Rabon Skripsey II (42) of Astoria, in a no passing zone. The Mazda entered the westbound lane and encountered a westbound Mack fuel tanker and trailer, operated by Taranjot Panglia (32) of Vancouver (WA). The Mazda attempted to reenter the eastbound lane, side swiped the Freightliner, lost control, and struck the Mack tanker head-on.
The operator of the Mazda (Crawford) was transported to an area hospital and was later declared deceased.
The operator of the Freightliner (Skripsey II) declined medical attention.
The operator of the Mack (Panglia) declined medical attention.
The highway was impacted for approximately eight hours during the on-scene investigation. The primary cause of the crash is considered unsafe passing.
OSP was assisted by the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, Knappa Fire, Astoria Fire, Clatskanie Fire, 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.
