A Vancouver man, Troy Lasater, 48, died Saturday in Oregon when his motorcycle collided with a car in the 31400 block of Historic Columbia River Highway, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.
The sheriff’s report said Lasater was dead at the scene. The accident happened about 4:45 p.m.
After crossing into the oncoming lane and striking the car, Lasater was thrown from his motorcycle about 75 feet down an embankment, the sheriff’s report said.
The report said “the operator of the passenger vehicle was not seriously injured in the crash and will not face any criminal charges.” The driver’s name was not released.
The Multnomah County Vehicular Crimes Team was called to the scene. The report said, “their initial investigation indicates that speed and alcohol are most likely contributing factors in the crash.”
Motorcyclist Brian Austin, 52, of Portland was arrested for DUI at the scene. He was not involved in the collision, the report said, but “was taken into custody after deputies determined that he was under the influence of alcohol while interviewing him at the scene.”
Columbia River Highway was closed for four hours between Southeast Neilson Road and East Woodard Road in Springdale.
Here is the press release from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office:
On April 21st, 2012 at approximately 4:45pm, deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a traffic crash involving a collision between a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle in the 31400 block of East Columbia River Highway. The operator of the motorcycle, identified as Troy Lasater, age 48 of Vancouver, Washington, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Lasater was thrown from his motorcycle approximately seventy-five feet down a steep embankment after crossing into the oncoming traffic lane and striking the passenger vehicle. The operator of the passenger vehicle was not seriously injured in the crash and will not face any criminal charges.
The Multnomah County Vehicular Crimes Team was called to the scene to continue the investigation. Their initial investigation indicates that speed and alcohol are most likely contributing factors in the crash. During the investigation and interviews with bystanders at the scene, Brian Austin, age 52 of Portland, was arrested for DUII. Mr. Austin, who had also been operating a motorcycle, was not involved in the collision that killed Mr. Lasater, but was taken into custody after deputies determined that he was under the influence of alcohol while interviewing him at the scene.
The Multnomah County Vehicular Crimes Team is comprised of members from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Gresham, Troutdale and Fairview Police Departments. The Multnomah County Fire District 14, American Medical Response and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. Columbia River Highway was closed for 4 hours between SE Neilson Rd. and E. Woodard Rd. in Springdale.
