Residents of Multnomah County faced a grim scene on Highway 127 near milepost 4, early Tuesday morning. A head-on collision involving three vehicles resulted in one fatality and major disruptions, as authorities worked through the wreckage that spread across the highway. According to a report by Oregon State Police, it was at 8:01 a.m. when they arrived at the site where vehicles had been dismantled by the brutal force of impact.
Initial findings suggest that the accident was initiated by a Subaru WRX, driven by 68-year-old Douglas Robert Huard of Portland, who, while navigating a curve, veered into oncoming traffic. The Subaru collided with a Kia Sportage, operated by Cindy Ann Crandall, aged 67, from St Helens. The contact was so severe, it sent the KIA tumbling over the guardrail and down an embankment. Following closely behind was a Toyota Corolla, operated by Derek Wilbert Richman (55) of Beaverton, which hit the debris from the initial crash.
The aftermath left Huard with serious injuries, necessitating immediate medical attention, and he was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital. Tragically, Cindy Ann Crandall was pronounced dead at the scene. Contrasting the dreadful outcome for the adults, a stroke of miraculous fortune found a two-year-old juvenile passenger of the Kia to be unharmed amidst the chaos.
Derek Wilbert Richman, the driver of the Toyota Corolla emerged from the incident without injury despite the severe nature of the crash. Highway 127 was rendered impassible for approximately six hours, as officials from the Oregon State Police, the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT worked tirelessly to clear the debris and commence their investigation into the tragic occurrence.
