Driver impairment, vehicle speed cause Camas crash

Camas police say speed and impairment caused Thursday night’s head-on crash that seriously injured two local men.

Andrew S. Colburn, 43, of Camas, was driving eastbound in a 2012 Cadillac CTS at a high rate of speed on Northwest Pacific Rim Boulevard when the car collided with the rear of a 2007 Nissan Murano that was turning west onto the roadway from Southeast Payne Road, according to Camas police. The Cadillac spun out of control into the oncoming traffic lane and was struck by a westbound tractor-trailer.

Colburn was seriously injured in the crash and transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, along with his passenger, Daniel E. Hubis, 44, of Vancouver. They were both listed in satisfactory condition Friday night. The driver of the Nissan, Cheri M. Thomas, 45 of Camas, was also transported to the hospital with minor injuries and later discharged. The tractor-trailer driver, Lewis C. Simmons, 53, of Amboy was not injured.

The Camas Police Department continues its investigation into the crash with assistance from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Vancouver Police Department.

Diesel spill

Crews worked Friday to clean up about 160 gallons of diesel that spilled Thursday night after the crash.

The truck was carrying about 200 gallons of diesel, according to Linda Kent, spokeswoman for the Department of Ecology.

During the initial response, crews from Washington State Department of Transportation were able to pump about 40 gallons out of the vehicles tank, Kent said.

The rest, however, spilled into a nearby storm drain and went into Fisher Creek and a nearby wetland, Kent said.

Crews from Cowlitz Clean Sweep, the contractor hired by the trucking company, was out Friday cleaning up the spill while employees from the Department of Ecology supervised, Kent said.