On Thursday, October 13, 2022, at approximately 8:25 p.m., a 911 caller reported a serious motor vehicle crash on Cordon Road NE hear Swegle Road NE, just east of Salem. Emergency responders arrived on scene to find a red Chevrolet Suburban and a red Toyota Tacoma had been involved in a head-on collision.
Tragically, the driver of the Toyota Tacoma did not survive the collision. The driver of the Toyota Tacoma has been identified as Felipe Hernandez (51) of Salem.
The driver of the Chevrolet Suburban has been identified as Hugo Hernandez Rojas (33) of Salem. He was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
There were no known passengers in either vehicle at the time of the crash.
Investigators from the Marion County multi-agency CRASH team were called out to the scene. Preliminary information leads investigators to believe the Chevrolet Suburban was traveling south bound prior to the crash, striking the Toyota in the oncoming lane. Intoxication was determined to be a contributing factor to the crash.
Hernandez Rojas was arrested by deputies and has been lodged at the Marion County Jail for the following charges related to the crash:
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree
- Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
- Reckless Driving
Hernandez Rojas is scheduled to be arraigned on October 17, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Circuit Court Annex.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Keizer Police Department, Marion County District’s Attorney’s Office, Marion County Fire District #1, Marion County Public Works, and Willamette Valley Communications Center during this response.
Any additional media inquiries should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.