Pregnant soldier killed in wrong-way crash

Pregnant soldier killed in wrong-way crash

Tools

Story Published: May 4, 2008 at 5:28 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 7:21 PM PDT

By KOMO Staff

ROSEBURG, Ore. - A Fort Lewis soldier who was eight months pregnant was killed in a head-on crash early Sunday with a car that was heading the wrong way on Interstate 5 in Oregon.

Also killed in the crash was the woman who was driving the wrong-way vehicle. A man who was in the car with the soldier is in critical condition.

The dead soldier was identified as Chanthea Elizabeth Prak, 20, of Fresno, Calif. She was assigned to duty at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, said Lt. Gregg Hastings of the Oregon State Police.

Oregon State Police said a white 2002 Pontiac Grand Am with Oregon license plates entered I-5 northbound in the southbound lanes near Roseburg at about 3:15 a.m.

Police went in search of the vehicle after receiving a 911 call about it.

As the wrong-way vehicle was heading north it slammed head-on into a southbound silver 2008 Hyundai Elantra with Washington license plates head-on in the left southbound lane.

Inside the Hydundai were Prak, who was a passenger, and Andrew Cruz Cajita, 21, from San Mateo, Calif., who was driving.

Cajita saw the Pontiac coming and attempted to avoid it by swerving to the left, but the right front passenger side of the Hyundai was struck by the Pontiac's driver side.

Prak died at the scene, as did the driver of the wrong-way vehicle, identified as Cheryl Denise Rowe, 40, from Albany, Ore. Next of kin have been identified.

Prak's unborn baby also died in the crash.

Cajita was critically injured and initially transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg. He was then taken by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland and remains in critical condition.

Fort Lewis officials had no immediate information about Prak or which unit she was assigned to.

Weather & Traffic

Icon
Current Temp 72.0 °F
Partly Cloudy
More Weather

Weather & Traffic

More Weather

On Demand

Resources and info you need to prepare for the switch to DTV.

Stay Connected

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Marketplace