The small, close-knit town of Dundee is waking up to a heavy silence this week. Friends and neighbors are grappling with the sudden, heartbreaking loss of 33-year-old Jackie Sue Williams, a local woman whose life was cut short in a violent collision on Highway 99W early Thursday morning. The crash, which also claimed the life of 29-year-old Skyler Wayne Goodwin, has left two communities on opposite ends of the state united in grief.
It was a cold, dark Thursday morning—just before 5:00 a.m.—when the routine of the daily commute was shattered near milepost 30.5 in Yamhill County. According to the Oregon State Police, Jackie was behind the wheel of her silver Toyota Camry, heading north through the familiar stretch of highway. Investigators say she was in the process of passing several other vehicles when things went catastrophically wrong.
In a split second, the Camry veered out of control. The car shot off the right side of the shoulder, hurtling into a dense stand of trees. The impact was unforgiving. When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle at an “uncontrolled rest,” a clinical term for a scene that was undoubtedly chaotic and devastating. Despite the rapid response from nearly half a dozen local agencies, there was nothing that could be done. Both Jackie and her passenger, Skyler, were pronounced dead where they sat.
Skyler Goodwin had traveled from the coastal town of Waldport, and news of his passing has sent shockwaves through his own circle of friends and family. While investigators are still piecing together the final moments leading up to the wreck, the immediate focus for those left behind is the massive void these two young people have left in their wake.
The aftermath of the accident brought the region’s morning traffic to a standstill. For nearly four hours, Highway 99W—a vital artery for the Yamhill Valley—was closed as investigators from the State Police mapped the wreckage. Crews from the Amity, Lafayette, and McMinnville Fire Departments worked alongside ODOT and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office to clear the debris, finally reopening the road as the sun began to climb.
Those who knew Jackie describe her as a woman who loved her community, and the weight of her absence is being felt deeply in the shops and streets of Dundee. It’s the kind of tragedy that feels personal in a town this size, where everyone seems to have a connection to the families involved. As the investigation continues, there are still many questions about what caused the Camry to lose traction on that fateful morning.
For now, the investigation remains open, and police haven’t released any further details about the mechanical state of the car or environmental factors. But for the families of Jackie Sue Williams and Skyler Goodwin, the “why” matters far less than the reality of the “who” they have lost. As the holiday season approaches, a local family is now facing a chair that will remain empty, and a community is leaning on one another to find a way through the dark.
The post Dundee Mourns as Local Mom Jackie Sue Williams and Companion Perish in Highway 99W Tragedy appeared first on Tripplenews.
