News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Sheriff's Office investigates fatal single-vehicle crash in West Linn

Posted: Aug. 29, 2009 5:45 PM

Crash-scene photos: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]

CCSO CASE # 09-26676

On Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 at 7:09 a.m., Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies responded to the discovery of a single-vehicle, fatal car crash at 25501 SW Petes Mountain Road in unincorporated West Linn.

A male subject reporting this crash told deputies he has been searching for his missing girlfriend since Thursday of this week, and just located her crashed vehicle this morning (Saturday, Aug. 29).

Knowing particular routes traveled by his girlfriend, the male subject reportedly began searching these known routes of travel for possible clues. The man told deputies he was searching along this portion of SW Petes Mountain Road and discovered blackberry bushes that appeared to have been recently crushed just off from the edge of the roadway. This path of crushed blackberry vines leads to a steep drop-off into a ravine. Upon closer inspection, he discovered the missing woman's vehicle on its top and over a described 142-foot embankment.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue personnel arrived on the scene, as well as West Linn Police and Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputies.

It was soon determined that the missing adult female was not inside the automobile; however, her body was located by rescue personnel a short distance from this crashed vehicle on the ground. This female was deceased, and a Clackamas County Deputy Medical Examiner responded to the scene to conduct an investigation.

A Washington County Fire District Chaplain is responding to attend to the emotional needs of the reporting party and additional family members reportedly summoned to the scene.

In addition, volunteers of the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) have been alerted and are responding to assist with the emotional grief at this scene.

This fatal crash required the expertise of the Crash Reconstruction and Forensic Technicians (CRAFT), who responded to the scene and participated in the fatal traffic crash investigation. These skilled investigators specialize in these types of complex crash investigations.

This was a challenging location to investigate and recover the body from the scene -- an estimated 142 feet into the ravine. To facilitate the recovery of the deceased from this challenging location, volunteer members of Portland Mountain Rescue were summoned to assist in packaging and transporting the body from the base of this steep terrain.

It was anticipated that investigators would remain working in the immediate vicinity of this crash conducting their investigation until at least 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29.

Investigators report that it appears the deceased was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

A forensic autopsy of the deceased was scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 30 at the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office, in Clackamas. The Sheriff's Office later received confirmation from the Clackamas County Deputy Medical Examiner that family notifications were completed.

The deceased female is identified as Summer Anne McVey, age 23, formerly a resident of Gresham, Oregon.

As of 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, traffic-crash investigators and the Clackamas County Deputy Medical Examiner remained at the crash scene.

[END]

CCSO CASE # 09-26676

Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office