Ocean Shores man dies in ‘unsafe passing’ crash on State Route on Thursday

An Ocean Shores couple driving on State Route 109 Thursday crashed trying to pass, and the man was killed.

The passenger who died was identified by Harbor Regional Health staff as Ronald G. Chadwick, 73, of Ocean Shores. The driver, Mary M. Chadwick, 72, was injured in the crash.

According to a news release from the Washington State Patrol, the crash happened at 12:14 p.m. at milepost 12 outside of Ocean Shores.

The Chadwicks were headed south on SR 109 when another vehicle traveling the same direction attempted to pass multiple vehicles in the northbound lane. Mary Chadwick also attempted to pass in the northbound lane but didn’t see the other passing vehicle. She struck the car and lost control before their vehicle stopped in an embankment on the left side of the roadway.

The cause of the crash was listed as unsafe passing, and troopers report that no drugs or alcohol were involved.

Ty Vinson

The Olympian

360-357-0201

Ty Vinson covers the City of Olympia and keeps tabs on Tumwater and other communities in Thurston County. He joined The Olympian in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at the Northwest Indiana Times, the Oregonian and the Arizona Republic as a Pulliam Fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription