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(Clatsop County, Ore. 30 April 2025) – On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 6:24 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 26, near milepost 16, in Clatsop County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound red Ford F-350, operated by Michael L Skillin (56) of Vernonia, attempted to pass multiple commercial motor vehicles when it struck an eastbound white Ford F-350, operated by Bryce Alan Kilponen (50) of Naselle (WA), head-on. The red Ford-F350 then struck the trailer of a westbound Kenworth commercial motor vehicle, operated by Kenneth Michael Steel (55) of Salem.
The operator of the red Ford F-350 (Skillin) was declared deceased at the scene. A passenger, a female juvenile (9), suffered reported minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
The operator of the white Ford F-350 (Kilponen) suffered reported minor injuries and was tranported to an area hospital.
The operator of the Kenworth (Steel) was reportedly uninjured.
The highway was impacted for approximately 6.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. Speed and unsafe passing are considered the primary factors in the cause of the crash.
OSP was assisted by the Cannon Beach Fire Department, Hamlet Fire Department, Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, and ODOT.
About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU)
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.
