A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Cornelia Combs / For the South County Spotlight
The scene at the intersection of Highway 30 and Bennett Road, where a woman was killed after a cement truck crashed into the Honda Civic she was driving as she attempted to pull onto Highway 30 from Old Portland Road in Warren.
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A St. Helens woman was killed Thursday morning in a two vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 30 and Bennett Road in Warren.
At approximately 5:30 a.m., a 1994 Honda Civic driven by Kristina Brixey, 23, pulled out from Old Portland Road into the path of a dump truck traveling northbound on Highway 30. The dump truck crashed into the driver side of the Honda Civic in the northbound lane, according to the Oregon State Police.
Kristina Brixey was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Joseph L. Brixey, 21, who was in the passenger seat, was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The driver of the dump truck, Douglas A. Heckman, 37, from Scappoose, was not injured. His truck was unloaded and was registered to Heckman Recycling, Inc.
The highway was closed at the scene until noon.
Safety restraints were used by all occupants.
OSP troopers are continuing the investigation.
Please, please avoid getting onto HWY 30 from this intersection with Old Portland Road. I have seen numerous fatal accidents at this intersection over the last two decades.
When you drive to Portland from St. Helens, this intersection is the most dangerous area of your commute. This is true regardless of whether you are entering onto HWY 30 from Old Portland Road, or already on HWY 30.
Please get onto HWY 30 at Gable Road, where there are traffic lights to stop traffic for you. So much safer.
(And note, the Gable Road intersection is incorrectly sized for northbound tractor-trailers turning right onto Gable. This is dangerous to the left turn lane entering HWY 30 from westbound on Gable.)
(email verified)
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 07:15 PM
How about not being in a big rush to enter the Hwy. when it is not clear or safe to do so. So many people are in a big rush (leave earlier)and are always cutting into oncoming traffic. I have dodged my share of foolish people that not only endanger themselves but others as well.
Highways such as 30 all over the country have traffic controls at these types of intersections. They are intended to slow the speeders down and make the intersections safer. How about doing the same on Hwy. 30? If people don't want to drive safely, then at least force them to slow down and wait to enter the highway until it is safe to do so.
Drivers of motor vehicles bear the brunt of the responsibility for these wrecks and deaths. I don't consider them accidents either as they didn't happen by some freak chance. They were created by bad reckless driving and impatience.
(email verified)
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 07:56 PM
First to the family--I am so very, very sorry for your loss. You are in my prayers.
Second--This intersection has proven itself to be dangerous and deadly for a number of reasons. I hope our community will come together and demand solutions from ODOT. I have been pushing for 2 years to no avail. How many deaths will finally add up to "enough"?
(email verified)
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 10:37 PM
People need to just slow down and not be in such a big hurry.
The top speed limit on Highway 30 is 55 mph. My husband and I commute every weekday to Portland and are passed by people that are going 70 to 80 miles an hour.
Someone trying to pull on the highway from a dead stop do not have a prayer.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN!!!
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 08:25 AM
To the family...soo sorry for your loss, you're in my prayers. And I heard that she pulled out in plenty of time, but the car stalled, so it really was just a chance, bad timing accident. For everyone to blame the intersection, doesn't make sense. Its not unlike any other intersection any where on the highway. You just have to sit and have patience until its your turn to safely cross. Which she probably did, and the car malfunctioned. So quit blaming the road.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 09:34 AM
It is every driver's responsibility to ensure that their vehicle is in good,safe operating condition. If the vehicle stalled, then this was not the case and the driver/owner is at fault. If it was a case of a driver stalling a manual (stick shift) transmission, then again the driver should be able to properly operate such a vehicle.
Be patient, don't speed, and these things crashes won't happen. How can you pull out in plenty of time and still have another vehicle hit you like this? I for one, can judge if an oncoming vehicle is speeding. I will not pull out into traffic if I don't have time to do so safely. Again, patiences as others have stated. If you are in such a rush, leave home earlier.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Thank you to all who are showing our family support. We are not blaming the intersection. Yes its the vehicals owner job to keep it up to date but some people are living pay check to pay check and don't have it to put into their car. She leaves behind a beautiful little girl that is only 2. She was my cousin and one of my best friends.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 11:29 AM
I have been driving for a little over 16 years and have been driving nothing but stick shits that entire time and I still on occasion stall my car. I am glad to hear that xm5 is so perfect of a driver that you feel nobody should be on the road unless they can guarantee they will never stall a car!!! The economy has hit my family so badly that we are downsized to one car and my hubby takes the bus to downtown portland everyday-we cannot afford some basic things for our car that need to be done and have to put them off--I can't take the bus due to my job requirements but again I am glad that xm5 is so financially sound that you can afford whatever your car needs or find an alternative and that the economy hasn't hit you as badly as its hit some of us!
As for blaming the road...its the same thing all over again that Taija Bellwood did with Corneilus Pass! This intersection needs a light! I am surprised that nobody has raised awareness for it like was done for Cornelius Pass after Taija died! This intersection is heavily used especially in the morning hours! It needs a light. Nobody is blaming the road from what I can read, they want improvements and they want a safer intersection!!! By the way there is a page on Facebook to help raise awareness!!! Join it, share it and suggest friends...its a start!!! Facebook, Install a Traffic Control Device at Old Portland Road and Highway 30!!!
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 02:54 PM
My deepest condolences for the family. Your loss is unimaginable and tragic. My prayers are for the recovery of Joseph and comfort for their little girl. For the rest of you posters, put your soapboxes up somewhere else, here is inappropriate. Kristina's cousin thanked you for your support and asked for you to stop critisizing, and did so with grace and class, and we should respect that.You will not make any changes to a state highway on this forum so let's focus on comfort for the family of this bright young woman.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 03:36 PM
This is Kristinas cousin again. Thank you “saddened”. My family and I have been reading comments from everyone that has left one and yes some say sorry and give us sympathy but than they go on to be rude except saddened. For people to be so rude like that isn't right. Did you know her no. Were you in the car with her no. You have no clue what happened to her except what's posted on line and the rumors going around. It is not right to be so rude about a 23 year old young lady that lost her life. Have you stopped to think about her 21 year old husband who is now a widow and a single father to a 2 year old. Have you tryed to put your self in my familys place and his familys. No I don't think so. I am trying to stay calm and not go off but I would like to see people post things like this about your family.
Joey does have serious injuries. Right now he's fightig for his life with a fratured skull an ear drumd blown and bleeding at the brain stem. He needs everyones prayer because his little girl needs him more than ever. Kristina will always live on in their daughter.
I ask you all to think about what your going to post before you do. Her family is reading what you say and I know you wouldn't want to have to deffend someone hours after it happened.
Please let the police do their jobs and stop being so rude. It could be you one day.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 05:43 PM
I'm also one of kristinas cousins and honestly unless you have something nice to say about her since YOU DO NOT KNOW HER then you need to keep your comments about her to yourself. Her husband and beautiful lil girl were her enter world and she would never do anything that she thought would hurt them in any way.
Our family is morning the loss of kristina we all loved her more then words could ever say and unless you have been in our shoes you have no clue how any of us are feeling. Her husband just lost his wife and their lil girl just lost her mother joey needs everyones prayers so he can go home and take care of his daughter.
Please give my cousin the respect she deserves and don't post anything you would not want said about anyone in your family cause it really could be your family one day. I never thought my cousin would be taken from us but she has been so please if you have nothing nice to say don't say it at all.
RIP Kristina Brixey(britton) you were the best cousin I could ever ask for you were my friend I will always love and miss you.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 06:50 PM
I made my comment because I want to help others avoid danger.
I used to take that same turn onto Hwy30, until about 10 years ago my Honda malfunctioned when I was trying turn onto HWY30. I was safe, but I thought about it a lot, and decided not to take that route any longer.
I don't recall if my foot slipped on the clutch, or I missed the gear, or if it just sputtered on some bad gas. It doesn't matter, it was 10 years ago, and in 18 years of making that daily commute all of those were probably bound to happen.
We are people. We hurry, we get confused, distracted- we make mistakes. And sometimes for unpreventable reasons, machines fail.
We need to design systems that take this all into account.
We shouldn't need those radar speed readerboards in Linnton to make us get down below 40 through there, but we do. They appear quite effective to me.
I think forums like this can motivate individuals to take action on issues, and I am pretty sure that some rather well positioned individuals in the county read these pages.
My prayers go out to the family, and to the families of all that have suffered at this intersection.
I think what "Cousin" said about rudeness needed to be said. I have just kind of given up on expecting internet comments to be civil.
And the police and fire first responders... I could not do your jobs. Thank-you.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 07:41 PM
“Peace” I understand where you're coming from but being her cousin we as a family don't want to read these things. We want to read positive things instead of people assuming what happened. We have not been told if her car sputtered or anything like that. So we aren't going to assume that. We are going to wait till we hear what the police think that happened because really there are only 3 people that know what happened and one of them my cousin is dead and her husband is not awake.
We just want people to stop and think would I want someone to write this about someone I love. I'm pretty sure most of you wouldn't want to.
There are diffrent websites to write about that part of the highway.
So with that being said just think before you post something about judging her of assuming what happened. We would just love to read positive comments about what happened.
Her husband needs everyones prayers right now. He needs a speedy recovery to get home to that little girl.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 09:12 PM
Apologies, just have to write that nothing which I wrote was speculation or assumption towards this crash.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 09:39 PM
I wasn't to to say you were the one that was assuming. So I am sorry for that. Our family has been reading comments on her and other sites and the other sites are a lot worse. Again I did not mean to single you out I ment it to everyone that has and will assume.
(email verified)
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 at 10:23 PM
My prayers are with the husband.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 08:12 AM
I do not know the family, this is true. I do not know the circumstances in which this family lives, this is also fact. Not everyone can drive a new car but the one we do own must be maintained in good operation condition.
Until the behavior of the drivers around here changes, these crashes will continue to take lives. People are in a big rush and need to drive responsibly.
Asking for a traffic control device at these intersections is not blaming the road or hwy. It needs to be done to protect people from themselves.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 10:20 AM
Ruth paulson thank you and please keep their beautiful little girl in your prayers also. She's never going to wake up to mommy again. Kristina will live on in that little girl.
Ow xm5 there are sites to write and numbers to call to get a light at that intersection. Do not blame my cousin for the crash. You were not there. You don't know what truely happened. All you know is what you've been told and what you've heared on tv. How do you know that her car wasn't in fine running condition. As her family we do not know that. All we know is a 23 year old young lady lost her life that day and she was our family. And that her 21 year old husband is fighting for his life and to get home to that little girl that has lost her mommy. Please before you post more comments just think while you're typing it would I want to read this about my family. We will not and have not assumed anything and we won't. We are letting the police do their jobs like everyone else should.
Thank you to everyone for their paryers and support but if it was followed by something rude I do not thank you.
All we ask is for people to pray for her husband and little girl. Thank god she was not in the car when it happened.
Thank you Kristinas cuz.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 12:26 PM
To all the people who are running there mouth about this tragic accident need to stop with the stupid comments it Was an ACCIDENT it could have happened to anyone that's why its called an ACCADENT.How would you like it if someone you loved was killed and I started writing bad comments about him/her.my prayers go out to her husband and daughter who by the way will never see her mother again. RIP Christina you will be missed and I'm proud to have known you and have u as one of my friends
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 04:08 PM
To all the family and friends of Kristina you are in our thoughts and prayers.
When our son told us he knew the car, I called and put the family on our Church prayer chain. Our son is a friend of both Joey and Kristina. He shared with me that he and Kristina were facebook friends, and he had worked with Joey. Although, I did not know her personally, I feel like now I do. She loved life, loved Joey, loved Vienna and was proud to share that on her facebook page. She was a young woman that had touched many lives.
Regardless of the circumstances, her life was cut short. Our prayers are with the family and friends.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 05:07 PM
I would like to thank ken and kc'smom. I was blessed to have Kristina as my cousin and my friend. And like you said people that know her knew Joey was the love of her life and she loved Vienna more than anything. We as a family want to read positive things like thank god Vienna has a parent left and thank god Vienna wasn't in the car. I am happy I am not the only one telling people to stop. This is my 5 or 6 comment deffending her. We should not have to do that just like any other family shouldn't. Kristina will live on in her little girl and all the people that got her organs and eyes.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 05:35 PM
Ken you forgot to mention she was your cousin in law also. Thank you for standing up for our family. You are the love of my life just like Joey was the love of Kristinas life.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 07:42 PM
To the family: Sorry for your loss but you have no right to sit there and ask people to not make comments. I have and alwasy been of the firm belief if I don't want to hear it/read it I don't/won't. When my brother lost his life falling off a cliff we refused to read the paper or watch the news on it because we didn't want to hear the judgment. I strongly urge you to do the same thing and stop telling people they can't post here! Sorry but its a public forum and you're out of line here!
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 07:57 PM
Ok I'm sick of being nice gonna post this SHUT YOUR FREAKiING MOUTH. None of us have said not to post on here. What we are saying is think before you post. Really who in their right freaking mind would post rude stuff about someone who is no longer here. I thought I've been pretty nice but now I'm extremly mad. The reason we as a family decide to read these is so we can stand up for Kristina. I'm sure if you were to have read what or if people were posting rude things about your brother than you would be mad also and want to stand up for him. Just like the saying goes if you have nothing nice to say don't say it at ALL. I would NEVER bad mouth or post comments about someone that had just lost their life. Epesically when there is a 2 YEAR OLD CHILD that JUST lost HER MOTHER. And a 21 YEAR OLD that JUST lost his WIFE. Come on now people use your freaking brain and pull your heads out of your freaking butts. By the way people are talking about her on here and other sites it shows you were not raised with manners. Who in their right mind says she got what she deserved. And all the other crap on here and other sites. You guys need to realize that you are talking about a 23 year old. I know you would not want someone saying crap like this about your loved ones and if you don't have the guts or balls to stand up for them than that's your freaking problem but our familly will NOT just sit here and let people talk like this about her. We stand up for what we believe in and if you don't like it to freaking bad. We will NOT stop standing up for her.
(email verified)
Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 08:37 PM
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Re: UPDATE: St. Helens woman killed in morning crash
I know from commuting along this stretch of Hwy 30 that it's SO easy (and common) to exceed the posted speed limit - I'm often passed doing 60 by drivers who are clearly going ten or fifteen MPH faster than I am. Perhaps this particular intersection needs a traffic signal like at Cornelius Pass, or a slow-down area like what's been done in Linnton. I've lived here for ten years and when I hear of any accident on Hwy 30 in our area, I immediately expect to hear "Bennett Rd" in the same sentence.
"Kerry"
(email verified)
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 02:18 PM