Five Die in High Speed Crash Near Hopewell, Oregon

Two victims were transported via Lifeflight helicopter to Portland-area hospitals.

Photo courtesy: Oregon State Police

(MCMINNVILLE, Ore.) - Sirens wailed in Yamhill County today after a Toyota left the roadway near the Wheatland Ferry on Highway 221 at 11:30 AM, the crash ultimately killing five people in the car, two adults and three children.

Oregon State Police Lieutenant Jason Bledsoe says that at approximately 11:30 AM this morning, a Toyota Camry was driving southbound on Hwy 221, north of the city of Hopewell, when for unknown reasons, it left the roadway at a high rate of speed and crashed into a large tree.

"Two victims have been transported via Lifeflight helicopter to Portland-area hospitals. No information is currently available on their condition," he said.

He says five victims were pronounced deceased at the scene. The names of those killed and injured are not being released at this time, pending notification of family members. He says it is expected to take several more hours for this to occur and the names will be released as soon as practicable.

Of the five victims who died, police say there was one McMinnville woman who was 20, and another who was 27-years old. The children killed were a girl who was 7 and a boy was was 5, they were McMinnville residents. Also killed in the crash was a 7-year old Salem boy.

The survivors were a 33-year old male and a 2-year old male.

Oregon State Police troopers from the McMinnville Area Command are completing the investigation with assistance from the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, the Newberg Police Department, The McMinnville Police Department, the Dayton Fire Department, and ODOT. SR 221 was closed for approximately 4 hours during the investigation, but is now open.