COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ore. — A 69-year-old Rainier man was killed Friday afternoon in a head-on crash involving a commercial truck on Highway 30 near Columbia City, according to the Oregon State Police.
Troopers responded to the crash near milepost 34 at approximately 1:47 p.m. on May 15, 2026.
A preliminary investigation found that a gold Nissan Pathfinder, driven by Gary Michael George, 69, of Rainier, was traveling eastbound on Highway 30 when it crossed the center line and collided head-on with a loaded white Freightliner commercial motor vehicle.
Investigators said witnesses reported the Nissan had been passing traffic in the oncoming lane prior to the crash.
George was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Freightliner driver, Kulwinder Singh, 36, of Auburn, Washington, was not injured. Authorities said Singh remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
The crash closed or impacted the highway for approximately three hours while emergency crews conducted the on-scene investigation.
Oregon State Police was assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia City Police Department, Rainier Police Department, Columbia River Fire and Rescue, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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