Alcohol-Related Crash Into Molalla River Claims Driver's Life

The passenger was miraculously "self-rescued" with serious injuries.

Crashed Jeep, upside-down in the Molalla River. Photos: Clackamas County Sheriff

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - A severely injured 23-year old woman scaled an embankment in total darkness for help early Saturday morning, after surviving a fatal crash into the Molalla River.

Investigating Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputies report the vehicle appears to have been traveling at a high rate of speed in the area of S. Lowe Road and Molalla Forest Road when it failed to negotiate a sharp turn.

They say the out-of-control vehicle first struck a large Forest Service gate post anchored in concrete, impacting on the passenger side of this vehicle, prior to departing from the roadway -- then careened over a 15' embankment and came to rest upside down in 3' of water in the river.

Cary Hosey

Amanda Sowa, of Molalla, was the passenger in the crashed vehicle, and she was possibly ejected. She climbed the steep bank and had to walk half a mile to reach help.

Clackamas County Dispatchers alerted emergency personnel at 3:34 a.m. that an occupied vehicle had crashed in the river.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputies, Molalla Police and Molalla Fire rescue personnel began scouring the area and soon located a 1999, Jeep Wrangler, upside-down in an estimated 3' of water in the Molalla River.

The crashed vehicle was found occupied with one deceased, male adult driver, 22-year old Cary David Hosey, of Mulino.

Police say the Jeep was registered to the injured passenger, but Cary Hosey was determined to be the driver, though his license was suspended. He also had two active arrest warrants on file: One warrant is identified for failure to appear - driving under the influence of intoxicants; with an additional arrest warrant for failure to appear – driving while suspended.

Attending emergency medical personnel on scene report Sowa was having difficulty breathing and received a significant head injury as a result of this incident.

Life Flight was dispatched and airlifted Amanda Sowa to a local Portland hospital from Molalla. A Molalla Reserve Police Officer on duty responded to the hospital attempting to conduct a detailed interview with this patient.

Alcohol and speed are considered contributing factors in this fatal traffic crash investigation.

Source: Clackamas County Sheriff