Fatal I-5 Crash Near Woodburn Kills Salem Man

Collision between vehicles traveling in opposite directions leaves one dead, another injured.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:21am

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A Monday night accident on Interstate 5 near Woodburn, Oregon resulted in the death of a 31-year-old Salem man. The crash occurred when the driver of a Honda Civic traveling southbound in the northbound lanes collided head-on with a northbound Acura SUV, leaving the Honda driver dead at the scene and the Acura driver with minor injuries.

Why it matters

This tragic incident highlights the dangers of wrong-way driving, which is a leading cause of head-on collisions and fatalities on highways. The investigation will likely focus on determining the factors that led the Honda driver to enter the highway traveling in the wrong direction.

The details

According to Oregon State Police, the crash occurred around 8 PM on March 30th at milepost 270 on I-5 near the Butteville Road/Gervais Road exit. The Honda Civic, driven by 31-year-old Romaldo Lopez Lopez of Salem, was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes when it collided head-on with a northbound Acura ZDX SUV driven by 43-year-old Casey Chia Liu of Beaverton. Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene, while Liu sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The highway was closed for approximately four hours during the investigation.

  • The crash occurred on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 7:59 PM.
  • The highway was closed for around 4 hours during the investigation.

The players

Romaldo Lopez Lopez

A 31-year-old man from Salem, Oregon who was driving the Honda Civic that collided head-on with the Acura SUV and was killed in the crash.

Casey Chia Liu

A 43-year-old resident of Beaverton, Oregon who was driving the northbound Acura ZDX SUV that collided with the wrong-way Honda Civic, sustaining minor injuries.

Oregon State Police

The law enforcement agency that responded to the scene, conducted the investigation, and is working to determine the factors that led to the wrong-way driving incident.

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What’s next

The investigation into the cause of the wrong-way driving incident is ongoing, and authorities will likely review any available surveillance footage or witness accounts to piece together the events leading up to the fatal collision.

The takeaway

This tragic accident serves as a sobering reminder of the deadly consequences that can result from wrong-way driving on highways. It underscores the need for continued education, enforcement, and infrastructure improvements to prevent such incidents and keep all motorists safe.