A weekend drill turned into a nightmare on the drive home for an Oregon National Guard unit. Saturday night around 8:56 p.m., a van carrying eleven Guard members was heading east on Highway 30 near Milepost 85 in Clatsop County, returning to the Clackamas area after training at Camp Rilea near Warrenton. A westbound Ford Ranger crossed into oncoming traffic, sideswiped a Ram 1500, and then struck the van. A second pickup following behind couldn’t stop in time and hit both the van and the oncoming truck. Four vehicles, 17 people.
The Ford Ranger’s driver, 65-year-old Markham Marshall Stangland of Warrenton, died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to officials. The soldier driving the van, Spc. Haiden Cunningham, 21, of Milwaukie, suffered serious injuries. Thirteen Guard members in total were hurt, and as of Monday afternoon, three remained hospitalized. The drivers of the other two trucks were treated for minor injuries. Highway 30 was closed for roughly four hours during the response.
The Oregon Military Department says support is being provided to the injured members and their families, and the investigation into why the pickup crossed the center line continues. For communities here on the Suncoast, where so many of us have ties to military families and long drives on two-lane roads, this one is a reminder of how quickly an ordinary trip home can change.
Have you ever had a close call on a rural highway at night? Share your story in the comments.
