Pickup smacks semi on Highway 20; youth dies

A 17-year-old Mt. Angel youth was killed Tuesday, August 26, in a collision on Highway 20 between Suttle Lake and Santiam Pass.

According to Oregon State Police reports, Robert Hawkins was heading eastbound at about 6 p.m. when he lost control of his pickup truck at Milepost 83 and collided with a westbound tractor-trailer rig.

A witness who came on the scene shortly after the crash told The Nugget that the roadway was damp and "there was oil on the pavement." The state police log did not indicate whether road conditions contributed to the accident.

Hawkins was ejected from the vehicle, and, according to Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD chief Don Mouser, he suffered head injuries. Hawkins was transported by AirLife to St. Charles Medical Center, where he died.

Mouser reported that Hawkins was not wearing a seatbelt. No one else was hurt in the accident.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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