Yamhill County, Ore. – A high-speed DUI crash on Highway 18 injured multiple people Friday night, prompting a multi-agency emergency response near the Yamhill/Polk County line.
According to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, on a four-lane divided section of Highway 18 between milepost 29 and Steel Bridge Road. A deputy on patrol reportedly observed an eastbound vehicle traveling 83 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Authorities said the deputy attempted to turn around while activating emergency lights. A second deputy driving eastbound near Southwest Harmony Road allegedly encountered the same vehicle approaching at a high rate of speed. Investigators said the vehicle swerved onto the shoulder, passed other cars, then crossed into the westbound lanes and struck another vehicle head-on.
Both deputies provided emergency first aid and requested additional resources from fire and EMS. Medics from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Department of Emergency Services and the Sheridan Rural Fire Protection District transported drivers and passengers from both vehicles to area hospitals with varying degrees of injury.
The driver of the at-fault vehicle, identified as Mario Eduardo Hernandez-Lopez, 23, of Forest Grove, allegedly had a Yamhill County search warrant related to a prior DUI case. A preliminary blood test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.12%, according to investigators. Additional charges are anticipated pending completion of a crash reconstruction investigation.
Oregon State Police assisted at the scene.
Highway 18 is a primary commuter route between the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast, frequently used by workers and students traveling between communities.
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