Boy, 7, killed in Hwy. 58 crash in Lane County

A 7-year-old Veneta boy was killed Saturday afternoon when the SUV in which he was riding with his family was struck by a pickup truck that crossed into their lane on state Highway 58 in Lane County, Oregon State Police said Sunday.

OSP troopers from the Springfield Area Command responded around 3:40 p.m. Saturday to the two-vehicle crash on Highway 58 near milepost 57, Lt. Steve Mitchell said.

Troopers said a gray 2006 Dodge 1500 pickup driven by Douglas Nelson, 35, of Troutdale, was heading east when he lost control for an unknown reason and it crossed into the path of an oncoming blue 2006 Honda CRV being driven by Ashley Russell, 27, of Veneta.

Russell was traveling with Zachary Heineman, 28, their 7-year-old son and 15-month-old daughter, all from Veneta, Mitchell said. The boy suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene, while the other three family members were taken to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield with non-life-threatening injuries.

Nelson is cooperating with the investigation, the trooper said in a news release, and “alcohol or other intoxicating impairment does not appear to be a factor in the crash.”

All of the people in both vehicles were properly restrained with seat belts and child safety/booster seats, Mitchell said.

The crash and investigation closed Highway 58 for about two hours. It was open to one lane of travel for about four more hours.

OSP was assisted on the scene by ODOT Incident Response and Oakridge Fire medics.