In the community

Snake River Bridge crash claims the lives of two Caldwell residents

ONTARIO – Two Caldwell residents died in a three-vehicle crash Saturday, Oct. 15 on the Interstate 84 Snake River Bridge.

Eric Torres Santana, 29 and Noel Alejandro Santana Dominguez, 20, were fatally injured in the crash that occurred at about 11:15 p.m.

According to the Oregon State Police, the incident began when Torres Santana, driving a blue Jeep Liberty, rear-ended a black Freightliner truck towing a flatbed trailer going west in the slow lane.

The driver of the Freightliner, Akbar Tanai, 32, of San Antonio Texas, pulled the truck to the side of the road as the Jeep ricocheted into the fast lane of the bridge.

Then a black Honda Fit, driven by Tracy Haws, 48, Nampa, going west, hit the Jeep. The impact ejected Torres Santana and Santana Dominguez from the Jeep.

Torres Santana died at the scene while Santana Dominguez was transported to an area hospital and later died.

Haws was critically injured and transported to an area hospital. Tanai was not injured.

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