Fourteen-Year Old Girl Dies Of Injuries From Traffic Accident

"The Salem Police Department offers our sincere condolences to the Garcia family for their loss." - Lt. Dave Okada, Salem Police

Alma Garcia was fourteen-years old Photo courtesy: Salem/Keizer School District

(SALEM, Ore.) - A fourteen-year old Salem student, Alma Garcia-Martinez, died this afternoon as a result of injuries sustained in a traffic accident two days ago in Salem during freezing weather.

Alma was riding in the rear seat of a 2003 Ford Explorer driven by her mother, Alma Rosa Olivares-Martinez, that was heading northbound at about 6:30 AM on Portland Road at Interstate 5, according to Lt. Dave Okada with Salem Police.

"Olivares-Martinez lost control of the vehicle on the icy overpass, slid into oncoming traffic and was struck by a southbound 1993 Toyota pickup truck being operated by 53 year old Jose Martinez," he said.

Alma Garcia-Martinez was riding in the backseat of the Ford Explorer without a safety belt, and sustained life threatening head injuries when she was thrown from her seat.

"The vehicle slid into oncoming traffic and Alma was thrown from her seat into the rear cargo area of the vehicle and sustained massive head injuries," Okada added.

"The Salem Police Department offers our sincere condolences to the Garcia family for their loss."

School officials echo those same comments, saying Alma was an extremely well liked girl who will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Alma was a student at McNary High School, she had previously attended Whiteaker Middle School in Salem prior to that.