PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — More than two weeks after the driver of a Ford Escape died after a collision with a Corvette in Vancouver, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said the case is now considered a vehicular homicide.
The October 1 crash happened around 9:20 p.m. on NE St. Johns Road near 99th and essentially involved 3 vehicles — the Escape, the 2016 Corvette and a white SUV that investigators are still seeking.
Witnesses told authorities the Corvette and the SUV were speeding on the road where the posted limit is 45 mph. The Corvette hit the Escape, causing the Escape to flip upside down. The driver, Gerald Plato, was partially ejected and also pinned under the Escape.
He was removed from the crash and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died a few days later. Plato was 58.
The Corvette was found further down the road and the driver was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time of the crash, investigators said speed and alcohol are believed to be causes of the crash.
The name of the Corvette driver has not yet been released. Authorities said criminal charges are pending.
The search for the driver of the white SUV continues. Investigator said some nearby residents said the SUV could be a white Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vancouver Traffic Unit detectives at 564.397.4597. The case number is 22009238.
The investigation is ongoing.