Walla Walla couple injured in head-on crash near Pendleton

PENDLETON — Two Walla Walla people and one person from Adams were all injured in a crash just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, on Highway 11 between Pendleton and Adams, according to Oregon State Police.

Based on a crash report from OSP, the crash happened when a silver Ford Fiesta, driven by Melvin Turben, 86, of Walla Walla went into the oncoming lanes of traffic while a tractor in a nearby field was kicking up lots of dust and making for poor visibility.

Turben reportedly tried to pass a vehicle while in the dust cloud and a gray Toyota RAV-4, driven by Shelby Kobasa, 25, of Adams, was coming straight at him.

Kobasa tried to swerve away from Turben by heading into the ditch, but Turben hit Kobasa anyway. Turben’s Fiesta rolled and came to what OSP officers described as an “uncontrolled rest” in the report.

Shelby was taken by a family member to a local hospital with unspecified injuries while Turben and his passenger, Donna Turben, 87, of Walla Walla, had to be extricated from the Fiesta. The two were taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.

Both vehicles were damaged and towed away from the scene, the report noted.

Melvin Turben was cited by OSP for unsafe passing.

Assisting OSP were Umatilla Tribal Police, East Umatilla Fire & Rescue, Pendleton Fire Department, Eastern Oregon Towing and the Oregon Department of Transportation.