COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ore. — The drive ended too soon for 23-year-old Alissa Jenay Jarvis of Astoria on a quiet Monday evening along Highway 30. Just before 7 p.m., her Subaru Crosstrek was struck head-on near milepost 51, turning a routine stretch of road into a place of sudden loss.
Oregon State Police say the crash happened around 6:54 p.m. when a Chevrolet Tahoe traveling eastbound crossed into the westbound lane. The Tahoe collided directly with Jarvis’ vehicle, leaving little chance for escape in the narrow highway corridor.
Jarvis was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers say the impact was severe, and the young woman never had the opportunity to be transported for medical care. Her death was confirmed shortly after responders arrived.
The driver of the Tahoe, 34-year-old Lorenza Gaspar-Mateo of Longview, Washington, was pulled from the wreckage and taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Investigators say impairment and lane safety were major factors in what led up to the crash.
Highway 30 was shut down for roughly five hours as emergency crews worked through the wreckage in fading evening light. Traffic backed up in both directions while investigators documented the scene and crews cleared debris from the roadway.
Oregon State Police were assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia River Fire, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Their work stretched late into the night as they tried to piece together the final moments before the collision.
In Astoria and across Columbia County, news of Jarvis’ death spread quickly. Friends and neighbors are now left with memories of a young life cut short, and a stretch of highway that will never feel the same again.
