A tragic head-on collision on South Clackamas River Drive has resulted in one death and led to the arrest of another driver on multiple charges. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office reported that the crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. last Friday and involved a 2009 Mazda CX7 and a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek.

At the scene, deputies discovered that the Mazda's engine compartment was ablaze and worked to extinguish the flames until firefighters arrived. The Subaru's driver, identified as 59-year-old David Christopher Collins of Springfield, Oregon, was killed in the incident. His passenger, a 47-year-old woman, survived with injuries considered non-life-threatening.

36-year-old Chad Joseph Van Lom, the Mazda's driver, was hospitalized with serious injuries following the accident. The sheriff's office reconstruction team, the Criminal Reconstruction and Forensic Technicians (CRAFT), responded to the accident. Their investigation indicated that Van Lom had been reported as a reckless driver just before the collision and that impairment is suspected to be a contributing factor.

By Monday, Van Lom was discharged from the hospital and immediately taken into custody by deputies, and he was booked into the Clackamas County Jail without bail. He now faces multiple charges, including Assault in the Third Degree (DUII), Manslaughter in the Second Degree, DUII, Reckless Driving, and two counts of Reckless Endangering.