A 35-year-old Salem man was taken into custody early Saturday after a high-speed collision on Lancaster Drive Northeast left a 54-year-old driver dead, according to Salem police. The pre-dawn crash shut down lanes on the east-side arterial and left a passenger injured, though her injuries were described as not life-threatening.
Crash details
Officers were called to the scene at about 3:28 a.m., where they found a gray Ford Mustang that had been hit. The driver, 54-year-old Daniel Lewis, was pronounced dead, and a 31-year-old passenger, Kayla Meyer, was taken for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses told police they saw a white Mercedes SUV speeding before it slammed into the Mustang and took off. A short time later, officers found the Mercedes and 35-year-old Romel Villarreal just a few blocks from the crash site. Villarreal was transported to Salem Hospital for treatment, then arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail, as reported by KATU.
Charges and investigation
“The investigation is ongoing, and further inquiries were directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office,” Salem police said. Villarreal faces multiple counts, including second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault, DUII, reckless driving, reckless endangering and failure to perform the duties of a driver, according to KATU.
Local context
Northeast Lancaster Drive has long been on the radar of local reporters and transportation planners as a hotspot for serious wrecks. A Salem Reporter analysis found 2024 was the area’s deadliest year in at least a decade and identified Lancaster Drive as one of several roads with multiple fatal crashes, highlighting persistent safety concerns along the corridor, per Salem Reporter.
