A tragic car crash in Oregon left one woman dead and six others injured, including two married lawyers and their four daughters.
The accident happened Thursday, Aug. 14, around 9:49 p.m. on Highway 97 near milepost 145 in Deschutes County, according to the Oregon Highway Patrol.
Investigators said that 33-year-old Felicia Devin Nicholson was driving a Honda Accord northbound when, for an “unknown reason,” she crossed over the center line. Her car then collided with a Honda Odyssey minivan driven by 46-year-old Earl Leone Christison IV.
Nicholson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Christison, who was driving the minivan, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. His passengers — his wife, 45-year-old Erin Ruth Christison, and their four daughters, ages 9, 11, 14, and 17 — were hospitalized with serious injuries, officials said.
Police, first responders, and nearby agencies all responded to the crash site. The Oregon Highway Patrol and the Deschutes County Medical Examiner have not yet commented further.
Erin and Earl Christison, both from Oregon City, co-founded a personal injury law firm called Paynes Grey in 2016. That same year, Erin received the Oregon Trial Lawyer of the Year award. The firm’s website says the couple enjoys working together and sees their practice as “focusing on something bigger than ourselves.” The law group did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Earl also serves on the board of Magic Wheelchair, a nonprofit that creates custom costumes for children with disabilities.
At the end of her biography on the firm’s website, Erin shared that she loves spending time with her “four wonderful girls.”
