Child Dies, Others Injured In Highway 97 Accident

A seven-year-old died and a four-year-old was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash on Friday night on Highway 97 in southern Wasco County.  The Oregon State Police says a preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Honda CRV, operated by 34-year-old Eduardo Enrique Aguirre of Spokane, attempted to pass a commercial motor vehicle in a no-passing zone near milepost 65 just after 9 p.m. and struck a northbound Volkswagen Atlas, operated by 45-year-old Eric Daniel Smidt of Pendleton, head-on.  A seven-year-old boy in Aguirre’s car was transported by Lifeflight and later declared deceased.  Aguirre and another young passenger in his vehicle, a four-year-old boy, were seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment.  Smidt and his passengers, 46-year-old Heather Marie Smidt and a 15-year-old boy, were also seriously injured and transported to an area hospital for treatment.  The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation.  The OSP says an unlawful pass is considered a primary cause of the crash.  OSP was assisted by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT.

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