A fatal accident on Oregon's Highway 47 claimed the life of 27-year-old Francisco Javier Romero of McMinnville late Wednesday night. According to the Oregon State Police, at approximately 10:32 p.m., a collision occurred near milepost 22 in Washington County when a northbound Ford Econoline van, driven by 22-year-old Martin Santizo Santizo of Gervais, veered into the opposing lane and sideswiped a southbound Dodge Ram 1500.
The Oregon State Police detailed that the resulting impact caused the Dodge to roll over and eject Romero, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Romero was pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, the driver of the Ford, Santizo Santizo, along with his passenger, 20-year-old Pedro Lucas Alonso of Gervias, emerged reportedly uninjured. The incident led to the closure of the highway for about 10 hours while an investigation was conducted on-site.
Oregon State Police believe that driver impairment likely caused the tragic crash. Santizo Santizo was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving, and negligent homicide. He was taken to the Washington County Jail. Multiple agencies, including the Forest Grove Fire Department, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Forest Grove Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation, assisted the state police during the emergency response and investigation.
