More details have come to light in a horrific head-on collision on Highway 224 that killed an Estacada woman near Barton late Friday night, including that first responders heroically rescued the other driver from almost certain death as the vehicles burned around him.
Investigators with Oregon State Police said a red 1992 Ford F150, driven by 59-year-old Kelly Ann Mumby, of Estacada, was traveling eastbound when it crossed into the westbound lane for unknown reasons and collided head-on with a white 2014 Dodge Ram tow truck marked for Elite Towing & Recovery in Portland, driven by Gary Smith, 56, of Portland.
According to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, a witness later said Mumby had been tailgating them, and had passed them just before crashing into the tow truck near SE Dale Lane, east of Barton.
When deputies first arrived at the crash scene, Mumby’s red pickup was fully engulfed in flames — as seen in a dramatic dashcam video provided by the CCSO. Both vehicles were spilling fluids across the roadway. Bystanders that Smith, the driver of the tow truck, was still pinned in the vehicle.
A deputy found that Smith was conscious but, indeed, trapped by the dashboard. He told the deputy his leg was broken and that he was unable to get out of the truck.
The deputy acted fast, pulling Smith to the passenger side and extricating him from the truck with the help of a bystander. Together, they carried the wounded Smith about 25 yards away and laid him on the ground, keeping his neck supported.
A few minutes later, Clackamas County Fire personnel arrived and extinguished the blaze. AMR arrived on the scene and transported both Smith and his passenger, 48-year-old Jennifer Sampson, of Vancouver, to Legacy Emanuel with serious injuries.
Mumby sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released additional information on what may have caused the crash, but a GoFundMe page set up to benefit Smith and his family suggested Mumby may have been impaired.
“If anyone deserves help, it’s Gary Smith,” said fundraiser organizer Douglas Bishop. “Extremely hard working and dedicated to his profession within the towing industry.”
Bishop said Smith will have to undergo numerous surgeries — including three that have already been done on his broken left leg — and may never walk again. His family relied on his income, the future of which is now quite uncertain.
“Gary will need all of our help and anything that you can do to help will greatly impact this man’s life,” Bishop said. “A very long road to recovery is expected. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gary’s family and also the family of the deceased that hit him.”
Photos courtesy the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office:
