Salem, OR – A Salem woman and a passenger from a Mercedes van died early Tuesday morning in a fatal crash on Interstate 5 near Albany, according to the Oregon State Police (OSP).
The crash occurred around 1:30 a.m. when 35-year-old Cassie Maree Martinez was driving a Dodge Durango southbound in the northbound lanes of the interstate at high speeds. The vehicle struck a northbound Mercedes Sprinter van head-on, causing both vehicles to catch fire upon impact.
Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene, OSP officials said in a news release. The driver of the Mercedes van, who sustained minor injuries, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. A passenger in the van, 34-year-old Linling Wang, also died at the scene. Another passenger in the van suffered minor injuries.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but authorities noted the high speed at which Martinez was driving when she veered into oncoming traffic. Both vehicles were severely damaged in the collision, and emergency responders were quickly on the scene to extinguish the flames.
OSP has not released further details about the crash, including the identities of the injured individuals or the specific circumstances leading up to the crash. The incident has left the community shaken, and Oregon State Police continue to piece together the events surrounding this tragic collision.
