Alcohol may be factor in head-on collision

A wrong-way driver caused a head-on collision on Northeast Padden Parkway late Tuesday night, according to police officials.

Yuriy Andriyenko of Vancouver was driving a Toyota minivan shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday when he traveled the wrong way on Padden and slammed into 17-year-old Christopher Lebaugh-Taylor’s full-size Chevrolet Suburban, said Sgt. Chad Rothenberger with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

“Alcohol looks to be a factor on Yuriy’s part,” said Rothenberger, who added that a deputy noted in an accident report that Andriyenko “smelled of alcohol.”

The two drivers were transported to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland as “trauma alerts,” meaning rescuers called the emergency department to let physicians know the patients were coming with possible serious injuries.

Wednesday night, Andriyenko and the teenager were not listed as patients at Emanuel, a hospital employee said.

Andriyenko, 37, had his blood taken at the hospital, said Rothenberger, who added it would likely take several weeks to learn the results of a toxicology report.

He said police findings have been sent to deputy prosecutors, who will decide whether to charge Andriyenko with DUI.

The collision closed both the east- and westbound lanes of Padden between Andresen Road and Interstate 205 for about an hour Tuesday night while deputies investigated and crews cleared the roadway.

“It was really a tremendous impact,” said Capt. Kevin Murray, a Vancouver Fire Department spokesman.