A head-on crash on Highway 26 near Government Camp killed a 55-year-old Bend man Tuesday evening after a westbound van crossed into oncoming traffic, and the 20-year-old Portland driver now faces DUII and manslaughter charges. The Subaru he struck caught fire, and passersby pulled Russillo from the vehicle, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Oregon State Police say the crash happened at approximately 6:22 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 26 near milepost 62 in Wasco County, according to Gorge News Center. Investigators say a white 2024 Ford Transit van driven by 20-year-old Alexander Nikkole Meira of Portland was traveling westbound near Government Camp when it crossed into the eastbound lane and struck a 2022 Subaru Outback head-on.
The Subaru was being driven by 55-year-old Craig Gerard Russillo of Bend. Police said Russillo’s car caught fire after the collision, and several passersby pulled him from the vehicle, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, per the same account from Gorge News Center.
Driver Booked on Three Charges After Hospital Release
Meira sustained only minor injuries in the crash and was treated at an area hospital before being booked into the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility, according to KTVZ. He was charged with DUII, reckless driving and second-degree manslaughter, the station reported, and KPTV confirmed the same three charges in its own report on the arrest.
Police said impairment is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash, though the station’s report does not detail the evidence behind that belief. The investigation shut down or impacted traffic on the highway for roughly five hours as crews worked the scene.
Multiple Agencies Responded to the Scene
Oregon State Police were assisted at the scene by the Hoodland Fire Department, American Medical Response, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation, Gorge News Center reported. The response included agencies from Clackamas and Wasco counties.
Oregon transportation officials have noted that alcohol or drug involvement, speed, and distracted driving are the most common behavioral factors in fatalities on Oregon roadways, according to a summary published by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Highway 26 itself has seen other deadly crashes in recent months, including a chain-reaction wreck in Clatsop County in late August that killed a 77-year-old Portland man after a car crossed into oncoming traffic, as reported by KATU.
It remains unclear whether Meira has entered a plea or what court proceedings may follow the arrest. For now, the case stands as another entry in a highway corridor that has repeatedly drawn scrutiny over fatal, cross-median collisions.
