Crash on Highway 101 Near Gearhart Kills Seaside Man

The victim, Joshua Lampien, was a volunteer firefighter from Seaside.

Photo: Oregon State Police

(GEARHART, Ore.) - A Seaside-area man died Sunday afternoon when his vehicle crossed the center turn lane and collided head-on with a full-size pickup on Highway 101 just north of Gearhart. Police say the couple in the pickup from Colorado received no apparent injuries.

Police say that at approximately 3:40 PM, a Toyota Celica driven by 23-year old Joshua Brian Lampien of Seaside, was southbound on Highway 101 near milepost 17 when, for an unknown reason, it drove across the center left turn lane and into the northbound lane where it crashed head-on with a northbound Chevrolet pickup. Joshua Lampien was using safety restraints and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The pickup's driver and passenger who are from Brighton, Colorado were not injured. They are identified as driver, 28-year old Brian K. Hunter and passenger, 27-year old Elizabeth D. Hunter. Police say they were using safety restraints and their pickup's airbags deployed.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Astoria Area Command office are completing the investigation with the assistance of an OSP collision reconstructionist.

Gearhart Fire, ODOT and the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene. Personnel from Seaside Fire and Warrention Fire also assisted.

Joshua Lampien was a volunteer firefighter for Seaside Fire Department.

The northbound lane was closed for 3 1/2 hours during the investigation.