Woman Killed in Head-On Collision on Highway 97

Date: May 28, 2011
Location: Highway 97 near Milepost 43, Kent
Names: Kimberly Ann Keith, Rule Curtis Beasley, Gary Louis Keith, Juan Manuel Rodriguez Mejia

A three-car crash has resulted in the death of a Washington woman and injuries to two others.

At about 2:25pm Rule Curtis Beasley, age 79 of The Dalles, was driving north in a 2000 Honda Accord sedan on Highway 97 near milepost 43 when, for an unknown reason, the Accord crossed into the southbound lane and crashed head-on into a 2005 Volvo truck pulling a semi-trailer carrying a load of apples. After this initial impact, the commercial truck collided head-on with a northbound 1997 Chevrolet pickup being driven by Gary Louis Keith, age 49 of Richland, Washington.

Gary Keith was airlifted with serious injuries to Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland. His wife and passenger, Kimberly Ann Keith, age 50, died at the scene.

Beasley was transported by ambulance with serious injuries to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles. The commercial driver, Juan Manuel Rodriguez Mejia, age 45 of Pasadena, California, was uninjured.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Keith family as they cope with the tragic loss of Kimberly Ann. There are so many people out there who know the raw emotion of losing a close family member, and who wish them well in the difficult days ahead.

Many traffic crashes are difficult to explain, and when death or injury is involved, it is important to contact a qualified Portland car accident lawyer. Your attorney will conduct a thorough investigation. We provide information on finding a good personal injury lawyer, and if you have questions after a car crash, please contact us.