Oregon State Police arrested a 33-year-old Newport man Sunday night on manslaughter charges after he was involved in a collision that killed a passenger in the other vehicle.
Johnny Widerman is in the Lincoln County Jail with bail of $260,000 on accusations of second-degree manslaughter, three counts of assault, driving under the influence with controlled substances, reckless driving and criminal mischief.
State police said Widerman was driving a pickup truck south on U.S. 101 at 8:10 p.m. Sunday in the Gleneden Beach area when it crossed into the northbound lane and collided with a van driven by Eva Della Alcala, 41, of Woodburn. A front seat passenger in Alcala’s van, Ruben E. Vasquez, 20, of Woodburn, was fatally injured in the collision, police said.
In a probable cause affidavit filed in Lincoln County Circuit Court on Monday, Sgt. David Wertz said Widerman admitted to using methamphetamine at 4 p.m. Saturday and then smoking marijuana at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, and the throttle on his truck had stuck. A blood sample was taken from Widerman at the scene and a urine sample later at the jail.
Alcala and her son, Isaac, 10, were taken to North Lincoln Communities Hospital and her daughter, Isaura, 12, was taken by Life Flight to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center where she is being treated for a broken spine, head injuries and a lacerated liver, Wertz said in his affidavit.
