Washougal man killed in crash on Highway 14

By Amy Libby

The Columbian

A Washougal man was killed in a seven-vehicle crash Thursday on Highway 14 in Camas after he made a U-turn across the highway while being stuck in traffic, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Willard D. Strickland, 68, died at the scene, according to a crash memo.

Drivers of two other vehicles in the crash, Brandy R. Demchuck, 34 of Carson, and Joshua I. Caldwell, 39, of Washougal, were taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center for treatment. Their status was unavailable Friday morning.

According to the State Patrol and the Washington State Department of Transportation, the westbound lanes of Highway 14 were blocked about noon when a manufactured home ended up wedged between the railings on the Camas Slough Bridge. Traffic quickly backed up behind the home.

Strickland, who was stuck in westbound traffic at Milepost 15 in a 1995 Buick Century, made an improper U-turn across the highway, according to the crash memo.

He struck Caldwell’s 2023 International CV515, which was heading east. Caldwell’s truck pushed the Buick back into stopped westbound traffic, hitting a 2008 Chrysler Aspen driven by Gillian Block, 63, of Washougal; a 2016 Chevy Tahoe driven by Suzanne J. Carney, 61, of Washougal; a 2017 Honda CR-V driven by Sheryl J. Di Stefano, 74, of Washougal; and a 2021 Jeep Wrangler driven by Demchuck.

The Honda landed in a grassy area on the westbound shoulder. The other six vehicles came to rest blocking Highway 14 west.

All the drivers were wearing seatbelts. All of the vehicles were totaled.

The highway was closed for hours for the investigation. Traffic was detoured onto Washougal River Road.

The manufactured home was cleared from the bridge by about 3 p.m., according to the city of Camas.