Warm Springs police ID 2 pickup drivers killed in Hwy. 26 head-on crash

(Update: Names released by Warm Springs police; driver's wife in critical condition)

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Warm Springs police have identified two drivers killed Sunday when one pickup truck crossed the center line and collided head-on with another in a three-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 26 on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

Police were dispatched around 3 p.m. Sunday to the crash near milepost 81 on the reservation, Lt. Ron Gregory said Tuesday.

Arriving officers found a silver 1997 Chevy pickup and a black 1993 Dodge pickup, both with heavy front-end damage, Gregory said. A third pickup, a green 2017 Chevy Silverado, was located about 100 feet away, having rolled onto its side, with airbags deployed.

An investigation found the Chevy pickup's driver, Erik George McDaniel, 31 of Culver, was heading east toward Warm Springs when, for an unknown reason, he crossed the center line. His pickup struck the oncoming Silverado, driven by a 61-year-old Portland man, in the westbound lane, causing it to roll, and then collided head-on with the Dodge, Gregory said.

McDaniel died in the crash and the driver of the Dodge, identified as Heath Heimbigner, 46, of Oregon City, succumbed to his injuries after officers and medical personnel arrived on scene, the lieutenant said.

Heimbigner's wife, Marcie Heimbigner, 45, and their two children were taken to area hospitals, two by air ambulance and one by ground ambulance. Marcie Himbigner remained in critical condition Tuesday, Gregory said; he did not have a condition report on the children.

The Silverado's driver and passenger were unhurt and were provided transportation to Portland by tribal police, Gregory said.

Gregory said the cause of the crash was still under investigation, but weather was not a factor.

The crash closed a 15-mile stretch of the highway, between mileposts 81 and 96, for about three hours, ODOT reported. Detours were put in place for traffic in both directions.