An 18-year-old man lost his life on Friday evening on Highway 99W after a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction collided with his vehicle nearly head-on, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Law enforcement responded to the two-vehicle crash on a stretch of highway near Corvallis Municipal Airport at approximately 6:40 p.m. The BCSO investigation determined that a 2006 Chrysler 300 was traveling northbound and passing vehicles on the two-lane road when its 33-year-old driver crashed into the victim’s 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT.
The Mitsubishi’s driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Chrysler’s driver sustained injuries and was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, BCSO said.
The Benton County Crash Team believes that the investigation showed that impairment was a factor in the crash. The Corvallis Fire Department and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.
Highway 99W was closed for approximately 3-1/2 hours.
The crash remains an active investigation and BCSO asks that if anyone has additional information to email BentonCoSheriff@co.benton.or.us or the tip line at 541-753-8477.