One dead, one seriously injured in two pickup crash on Highway 18

One person died and another was taken to the hospital in serious condition following a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon on Highway 18 between McMinnville and Dayton, McMinnville Police said.

The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. east of the Norton Lane intersection with the highway, near the campus of Chemeketa Community College Yamhill Valley.

A preliminary investigation determined an eastbound 2017 Chevrolet Colorado pickup appeared to cross over the center lane into the oncoming, westbound lanes, striking a 2020 GMC Sierra pickup that was towing a flatbed trailer, police said.

The crash was described as an off-set, head-on with the front passenger corner of the Colorado pickup hitting the front passenger corner of the Sierra pickup.

A passenger of the Chevrolet pickup died and the driver was taken by ambulance to Salem Health hospital with serious injuries. The identities were being withheld Friday evening, pending notification of next of kin.

The driver of the GMC was taken by ambulance to Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville as a precaution.

The highway was closed for 3.5 hours.

Personnel from the McMinnville Fire District, the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted McMinnville Police.

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: One dead, one seriously injured in two pickup crash on Highway 18