The driver of a silver Dodge Durango being pursued by police on U.S. Highway in Seaside is suspected of hitting two people on a sidewalk Saturday night, say Oregon State Police.

A man on the sidewalk died on the scene and another pedestrian with critical injuries was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria and later transferred to a Portland area hospital.

Prior to the single-car crash that took place before 9:15 p.m., Seaside Police responded to a disturbance at a home and attempted to stop a woman driving the Durango SUV toward them. They lost sight of the car before reaching the crash scene, according to Jeff Proulx of the Oregon State Police.

Proulx said the driver lost control of the car going northbound near Hwy 101's milepost 20. She then drove onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop shelter. The Durango kept moving, onto another sidewalk, until it was stopped after colliding with a pole near a McDonald's.

The driver, who was walking away from the scene, was identified by witnesses and detained by police. She was taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and released. Police investigators, working with the District Attorney's office, might charge the driver.

The names of the driver and victims have not been released.

The roadway was closed for about four hours.

— Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman



