LINN COUNTY, OR - On Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at 1:30 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5, near milepost 235, in Linn County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Dodge Durango, operated by Cassie Maree Martinez (35) of Salem, was reportedly travelling southbound at high speeds in the northbound lanes when it struck a northbound Mercedes Sprinter Van, operated by Wenfeng Shi (37) of Alhambra (CA), head-on. The collision caused both vehicles to catch fire.
The operator of the Dodge (Martinez) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Mercedes (Shi) suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
A passenger in the Mercedes, Linling Wang (34), was declared deceased at the scene.
A second passenger in the Mercedes, Li Yanling (44) of Oakland (CA), suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
The interstate was impacted for approximately 4.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The crash is under investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Albany Police Department, Linn County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson 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.
