Wasco County, OR. – Official Release: On Friday, April 4, 2025, at 9:08 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97, near milepost 65, in Wasco County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Honda CRV, operated by Eduardo Enrique Aguirre (34) of Spokane (WA), attempted to pass a commercial motor vehicle in a no-passing zone and struck a northbound Volkswagen Atlas, operated by Eric Daniel Smidt (45) of Pendleton, head-on.
A passenger of the Honda, a male juvenile (7) was transported by lifeflight and later declared deceased. The operator of the Honda (Eduardo Aguirre) and a passenger, a male juvenile (4), were seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The operator of the Volkswagen (Eric Smidt) and passengers, Heather Marie Smidt (46) and a male juvenile (15) of Pendleton, were seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation. An unlawful pass is considered a primary cause of the crash.
OSP was assisted by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT.
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.
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