Fatal Crash Sunday Near Dundee Leads to Arrest of Driver

Driver arrested over fatal traffic crash last weekend on Highway 99W south of Newberg.

26-year old Leonel Zurita Loeza faces several charges over a weekend crash that involved the death of a Dayton woman. Photos: Oregon State Police

(DUNDEE, Ore.) - Oregon State Police arrested the driver of a car involved in Sunday afternoon's fatal traffic crash that resulted in the death of a Dayton-area woman. 52-year old Carma Colleen Smith died when a vehicle driven by 26-year old Leonel Zurita Loeza crossed the center grass median on Highway 99W between Dundee and Newberg, flew into the air and struck her car. Troopers arrested the man upon his release Monday afternoon from a Portland-area hospital. OSP Senior Trooper Mark McDougal arrested Zurita Loeza of southwest Portland, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital on several charges.

He faces Manslaughter in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Reckless Driving and Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree.

Lt. Greg Hastings with Oregon State Police says Zurita Loeza will be lodged at Yamhill County Jail.

Oregon State Police Sergeant Brad Hessel says the crash happened at approximately 3:05 PM Sunday, when the 1994 Ford Taurus four-door driven by 26-year old Leonel Zurita Loeza of southwest Portland, was northbound on Highway 99W near milepost 25.

Hessel said that according to witnesses, the Ford was moving at a high rate of speed when it lost control and crossed the grass center median. That's where it became airborne and crashed into a southbound 2000 Toyota Avalon four-door. Hessel says that after the initial impact, the Ford collided with a southbound 2003 Toyota Corolla four-door with four occupants.

The Toyota Avalon's driver, 52-year old Carma Colleen Smith of Dayton, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Loeza and his two passengers received serious injuries. Loeza was transported by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital. One passenger, 21-year old Izquierdo L. Jonatan of Beaverton, was transported by LifeFlight to Oregon Health Sciences University. Another passenger in the car, 31-year old Nicholas Contreras of Beaverton, was transported by ground ambulance to Newberg Providence Hospital.

The driver of the third car involved in the crash operating the Toyota Camry, 57-year old Steven J. Marcaccini of Aurora, was not injured. Traveling with him were two female passengers and one male passenger. They were not injured.

Police are not sure at this point if the various drivers and passengers were wearing safety restraints.

Carma Smith, Photo courtesy: Don Smith, Carma's oldest son

OSP troopers from the McMinnville Area Command office are continuing the investigation with assistance of an OSP crash reconstructionist and the Yamhill County District Attorney's Office. Members of the Multi-Agency Traffic Team comprised of officers from Newberg, Dundee, Carlton, and Yamhill County Sheriff's Office are also assisting. Dundee Fire & Rescue and ODOT assisted at the scene. Highway 99W was re-opened around 8:15 PM.

About Carma Colleen Smith

Mrs. Smith and her husband recently celebrated their 33rd anniversary and they lived in the Dayton area for 21 years. She is mother of 7 grown children (4 girls and 3 boys) and has 4 grandchildren.

Carma was employed for 12 years by the US Postal Service at the Dayton office as a rural carrier.

She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the Dayton ward, and served as a counselor for youth groups. She was also active with cub scout programs, and enjoyed helping others.

Some of her interests included scuba diver and making quilts.

If any family members would like to send us a photo of Carma Smith, please email it to: newsroom@salem-news.com and we will gladly add it to this article.

For the earlier report with photos of the fatal crash, visit this link: Dayton Woman Dies in Crash on Highway 99W