PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A head-on crash left a passenger dead Thursday afternoon near Molalla.
The crash happened just before 3:30 p.m. on Highway 211 near South Macksburg Road in Clackamas County. Oregon State Police said a Saturn Ion was traveling southbound when the driver, 18-year-old Tyler Bracken, tried to pass several cars on a blind corner.
When Bracken saw a Ford F250 pickup approaching in the oncoming lane, he veered to the right, applied the brake, overcorrected and lost control.
The Saturn went into a soft shoulder and started to slide across both lanes, troopers said. It was hit by the Ford.
Bracken was airlifted with life-threatening injuries. His passenger, 18-year-old Eric Santos of Beaverton, died at the scene.
The driver of the Ford wasn’t hurt.
Highway 211 was closed for about 4 hours for an investigation.