Tragedy Strikes on Highway 30: Fatal Multi-Vehicle Crash Involves Oregon National Guard Members

The quiet evening air near Svenson, Oregon, was shattered this past Saturday by the horrific sound of a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 30. It was just before 9 p.m. on September 14, 2026, when a devastating chain of events unfolded near milepost 85, ultimately leading to one fatality and leaving a significant number of people injured, including several members of our own Oregon National Guard.

Authorities, specifically the Oregon State Police, are still piecing together the exact timeline, but what we know is chilling. Markham Marshall Stangland, a 65-year-old man driving a Ford Ranger pickup, was traveling westbound. For reasons still under investigation, his vehicle veered dramatically, crossing the median. First, it sideswiped a Ram 1500 pickup, and then, in a terrifying escalation, collided with a Ford Transit van. Investigators also noted that Mr. Stangland was not believed to be wearing his seatbelt at the time, a detail that sadly underscores the tragic outcome.

The aftermath was, understandably, chaotic. Raiden Cunningham, just 21, who was operating that Ford Transit van, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a local hospital. Now, this van wasn't just any vehicle; it was carrying no less than eleven Oregon National Guard members, all returning from a training exercise at Camp Rilea, heading back to Clackamas. What a somber end to what should have been a routine trip home. Another vehicle involved, a Ram 1500, was also occupied by four more Guard members from the same training.

In the unfolding chaos, two other drivers also suffered injuries. Jaden Vinay Govidan, 25, the driver of that initial Ram 1500 that was sideswiped, thankfully only sustained minor injuries. Gregory Louis Wavra, 29, driving a Ford F-100 pickup behind the van, simply couldn't stop in time and also ended up hitting the already damaged Transit van, thankfully escaping with minor injuries himself. All told, 18 individuals were involved in this tragic incident, prompting first responders to declare it a mass casualty event – a term that truly highlights the scale of the emergency.

Right now, three of those brave National Guard members remain hospitalized, battling their injuries. The response to this crash was immense, drawing in multiple agencies from both Oregon and even Washington State, including various fire departments like Clatskanie, Knappa, and Astoria, along with Medix Ambulance Service, the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, Astoria Police, ODOT, and of course, the Oregon State Police leading the investigation. Highway 30 was shut down for approximately four agonizing hours as crews worked tirelessly at the scene.

While the Oregon State Police continues its thorough investigation, a few details remain a bit hazy. For instance, it's not yet clear if Raiden Cunningham, the injured driver of the Ford Transit van, was actually one of the National Guard members or a civilian driver. And frankly, the initial reports didn't specify if anyone other than the four named drivers sustained injuries, though given the context, one might assume others in the Guard vans were certainly affected. KGW has, quite rightly, reached out to OSP for further clarification on these points, as we all seek a fuller understanding of what transpired.