Pasco passenger killed in head-on crash at Highway 395 and I-84 in Oregon

A 74-year-old Pasco woman died in a head-on crash south of Stanfield on Tuesday.

Celestino Chavarria Nunez, 65, of Pasco, was turning left from Highway 395 onto Interstate 84 when his silver Buick Lacrosse was struck, the Oregon State Police said in a Thursday release.

His car was hit by Tabitha J. Ritzer, 41, of Hermiston, who was driving a Toyota C-HR north on the highway, said OSP.

One of the Nunez’s passengers, Rosa Maria Badillo, died at the scene, another passenger Guadalupe Flores-Mendoza, 81, of Pasco, suffered serious injuries, said investigators.

Nunez and another of his passengers, J. Eleazar Flores, 59, of Pasco, along with Ritzer and a 10-year-old girl were treated for minor injuries.

The crash investigation closed the highway for about three hours.

This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 6:11 PM.