Passenger Dies After Pedestrian is Struck Near Keizer

Strange circumstances began with a pedestrian being run over, and ended with a passenger in the car dying, after the car also sheared a utility pole and hit a tree.

The driver of the vehicle was seriously injured and transported to Salem Hospital Photo By: Tim King

(KEIZER) - Marion County deputies responding to a harassment call near Keizer Thursday just after 7:00 PM, were advised while enroute, of a car versus pedestrian accident and a car into a telephone pole, in the same area.

After arriving, deputies were able to determine that the two accidents were actually part of the single incident they had originally been dispatched to.

They also found that one of the occupants of the vehicle was deceased at the scene. The Marion County CRASH team was called out to investigate the accident.

Deputies were able to determine that the suspect vehicle was leaving the Naples St. N area when it struck a pedestrian.

The vehicle then continued out of the park area and proceeded to crash into a telephone pole, shearing it off, and then into a tree killing the front passenger.

The driver of the vehicle was seriously injured and transported to Salem Hospital along with a third occupant who was riding in the back of the El Camino style vehicle.

That person was thrown from the car upon impact. Deputies do believe that alcohol may be a contributing factor to the accident.

The deceased was identified as 18-year old Sonny G. Hart, of Keizer. The driver was identified as 31-year old Ryan D. Schultz, of Detroit, Oregon. The third passenger was a juvenile. The pedestrian received medical attention at the scene but was not transported to the hospital. The Marion County CRASH team is still investigating the incident.