A Lincoln City man has been charged with murder following the death of a Salem in a head-on collision Saturday night on Interstate 101 in Lincoln City.
At approximately 9:20 p.m., Lincoln City police responded to a turn of the fate of two vehicles on the road at North Block 2700.
Investigators said a white Ford van, driven through Alan MS Gates of Lincoln City, 27, traveling north on the road when it crossed the lanes south and underwent a 2010 Honda Fit, drove through Lincoln’s Braden T.Drayton-Dunwoodie. City.
Drayton-Dunwoodie tried to swerve to avoid the collision. He was uninjured.
After clearing the Honda aside, Gates continued to drive north on the south lane, until he collided head-on with a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo, crossed by 21-year-old Julia Munson of Salem.
Munson was taken to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, then flown to a Portland-area hospital where she died.
Authorities said Gates suffered minor injuries and was also taken to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital. He was then taken to the Lincoln County Jail and charged with underinvestth-degree manslaughter, corrupt negligence, reckless driving, two counts of reckless danger and two counts of momentary-degree offender mischief.
Your bail is set at $150,000 and your next hearing is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. July 20, to court records.
The investigation into the turn of fate is ongoing and the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case and additional or revised fees may apply to Gates.
The Lincoln County Major Crash Team, made up of members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Newport Police, Toledo Police, Oregon State Police and the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office; and the North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance assisted during the incident.
Virginia Barreda is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at 503-399-6657 or at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.