Kansas Woman Critically Injured in Christmas Eve Crash Near Elsie, Oregon

Two people injured in crash on Highway 26 east of Elsie.

Photo of crash scene: Oregon State Police

(ELSIE, Ore.) - Police say a Kansas woman was critically injured Christmas eve night when the car she was riding in lost control on black ice on Highway 26 about eleven miles east of Elsie and struck a tree.

Sergeant Andrew Merila with Oregon State Police says that just after 7:00 PM on Christmas eve, a 2000 BMW two-door convertible driven by 22-year old Lance Wong of Hillsboro, was westbound on Highway 26 near milepost 32 when it lost control on black ice, left the highway and struck a tree on the passenger side.

The passenger in the car, 21-year old Natalie Rose Witcher of Fairway, Kansas, was critically injured and transported by LifeFlight to Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

Investigators say they are not sure if the woman was wearing safety restraints when the crash happened.

Wong received non-life threatening injuries and was transported by ground ambulance to OHSU.

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Oregon State Police troopers from the Astoria Area Command office are completing the investigation. Senior Trooper Dee Rzewnicki is the lead investigator. Washington County Sheriff's Office and local emergency responders assisted at the scene.