On Saturday, April 1, 2023, at approximately 12:59 A.M., the Oregon State Police responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Hwy 212, near milepost 7, in Clackamas County. The preliminary investigation indicated a black Ford Fusion, operated by Jacob Aaron Paige (32) of Happy Valley, was westbound, near milepost 7, when the operator saw a pedestrian, Christopher Wendell Niiranen (55) of Sheridan, laying in the westbound lane of travel. The driver of the Fusion swerved to avoid hitting the pedestrian, but was unable to avoid a collision and the pedestrian was fatally struck. The operator of the Ford Fusion remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Hwy 212 was closed for approximately 2 hours while Troopers investigated the scene. Dark clothing and roadway lighting are suspected to have contributed to the crash. OSP was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas Fire, the Clackamas County Medical Examiner, and ODOT.
