On the evening of Saturday, September 19, 2026, a heartbreaking tragedy unfolded along Highway 101 near Gleneden Beach in Lincoln County, Oregon, forever changing the lives of those who knew and loved Nicholas Ryan Perkins, 41, of Portland.
Oregon State Police responded to the area at approximately 8:21 p.m. after receiving reports of a person walking in the roadway and a vehicle-pedestrian crash near milepost 122.
According to the preliminary investigation, a gray Chevrolet Colorado traveling southbound near Gleneden Beach struck Perkins, who was in or near the lane of travel. The vehicle was operated by 61-year-old Renee Ronilyn Wohlwend of Lincoln City.
Perkins was subsequently struck by two additional vehicles. The second vehicle was a southbound white Mercedes Sprinter van operated by 34-year-old Gregory Lear Miller of Flagstaff, Arizona. A northbound blue Toyota Sequoia, operated by 50-year-old Michael Aaron Hadden of Depoe Bay, was involved in the third impact.
Perkins was pronounced deceased at the scene. None of the three drivers reported injuries.
Authorities said Miller, the operator of the Mercedes Sprinter van, was stopped and detained south of the crash location. He was taken into custody for failing to perform the duties of a driver. Available reports do not indicate a final charging decision beyond the reported arrest.
Highway 101 was affected for approximately four hours while investigators worked at the scene. Oregon State Police received assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Lincoln City Police Department, Depoe Bay Fire District, Pacific West Ambulance and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation. Oregon State Police have not released further findings regarding the events leading up to the initial impact.
For Nicholas Ryan Perkins' family, friends and loved ones, his sudden death marks a devastating loss. A Saturday evening along the Oregon Coast ended with a life lost and a community left mourning.
As investigators continue working to establish the full circumstances of the crash, those who knew Nicholas are left to remember his life and the memories he shared with the people closest to him.
