Accident victims identified

On September 26, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office was able to identify formally the two people who died in the head on collision on Ocean Beach Highway near Mill Creek on September 23.

The driver of the Subaru Forester was Nanette L'Amie-Bupp, 63, and her passenger was Michael L. Howell, 51. Both were residents of Cathlamet.

The Coroner’s Office was able to identify the deceased with the use of dental records and radiological skeletal and bone comparisons, along with information from their families.

According to the report, the cause of death was found to be traumatic blunt force trauma received upon collision.

A standard toxicology analysis will be conducted by Washington State Patrol’s Toxicology Laboratory and should take six to eight weeks.

According to a Washington State Patrol Accident report, Bupp was passing another eastbound vehicle in a no passing zone at Milepost 46.7 when it collided head on with a 2005 Ford Ranger pickup headed westbound.

The Forester caught on fire and was engulfed in flames. Both vehicles were total losses.

Russell D. Gilchrist, 67, Longview, was the driver of the Ranger pickup. He was airlifted by LifeFlight to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver for treatment of injuries.