Late Friday night a quiet stretch of State Route 4 near Cathlamet turned deadly when two vehicles slammed into each other head-on near milepost 4, killing one driver and injuring three other people, according to law enforcement. The crash was reported shortly after 9:24 p.m. on June 19 and shut down the rural two-lane highway while first responders worked the scene and traffic backed up in both directions.
Troopers identified the man who died as 41-year-old Vance R. Baldwin of Castle Rock. The other vehicle was driven by 55-year-old Todd D. Wilson of Cathlamet; Wilson and passengers Mason D. Wilson and Nicole S. Wilson were taken to hospitals in Washington and Oregon, with at least one patient flown to Portland. Both vehicles, a 2011 Chevrolet Aveo and a 2015 GMC Savanna, were totaled and one ended up blocking the westbound lane while investigators cleared the wreckage, as reported by Chinook Observer.
What investigators say
According to the Washington State Patrol, one of the vehicles crossed the center line and hit the oncoming vehicle head-on. Troopers listed negligent driving as a preliminary cause and spent hours at the site documenting the scene, reconstructing the collision and directing traffic before the roadway was finally reopened.
Community and next steps
Wahkiakum County Sheriff's deputies handled next-of-kin notifications while local emergency crews assisted at the scene, officials said. The sheriff's office and state troopers are continuing to investigate, and anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area near milepost 4 around the time of the crash is asked to contact investigators, as noted by Chinook Observer.
