Wrong-way driver on I-84 kills 3 near The Dalles on Tuesday

A Subaru Forrester and a Kia Sorento burst into flames after a head-on collision on Interstate 84 east of The Dalles on Tuesday, Nov. 30. There were no survivors.

Three people were killed when a driver going the wrong way on Interstate 84 collided head-on with another vehicle resulting in a fiery crash just east of The Dalles on Nov. 30 at 5:24 p.m. 

Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a head-on collision in the eastbound lanes of I-84 near MP 89, approximately two miles east of The Dalles.

The preliminary investigation showed Colin Joseph Ament Leas age 32 of McMinnville, Oregon, was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes in a Subaru Forester when he crashed head-on into Jessica Dianne Treadwell age 35 of Condon, Oregon, who was traveling eastbound in a 2004 Kia Sorento with a front seat female passenger identified as Lorena Ann Sparkman age 56 of Condon, Oregon.

Both vehicles became fully engulfed in flames immediately after impact. Leas, Treadwell and Sparkman were deceased at the scene.

Oregon State Police Lieutenant Les Kipper said it was later ascertained that Leas of McMinnville entered the freeway at the Celilo Exit 97 and proceeded to drive nine miles against traffic prior to the collision.

The eastbound lanes of I-84 were closed for approximately 2.5 hours. The Oregon Department of Transportation had a detour in place. 

The Dalles City Police, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, Spencer Libby and Powell Funeral Home and Bishop Towing responded to the incident. 

It has been a devastating three days as this was the third fatal accident, Kipper said.

A fatal occurred at milepost 12 on Highway 197 on Monday, Nov. 29, then the head-on collision on Tuesday, Nov. 30 and a third fatal accident happened this morning - also on Highway 197 just a mile from the Monday crash.