7/25/2024
Polk County, OR. – Official Release: On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at 6:17 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to two-vehicle crash on Hwy-22W, near milepost 20, in Polk County.
The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Chrysler Sebring, operated by Mary Louise Nathe (73) of Salem, attempted to turn left onto Oak Grove Road and entered the path of a westbound Ford Expedition, operated by Karen Jean Bell-Stanerson (53) of Salem. The Ford struck the passenger side of the Chrysler in a side-impact collision.
A passenger in the Chrysler, Amanda Rose Nathe (41) of Salem, was declared deceased at the scene. The operator of the Chrysler (M. Nathe) was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital.
The operator of the Ford (Bell-Stanerson) suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation. An unsafe turn is considered the primary cause of the crash.
OSP was assisted by Dallas Fire, Polk County Fire, and ODOT.
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