Report from the accident scene

CALDWELL -- A Wilder woman is dead and five people were sent to the hospital after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 19 in Canyon County this morning.

It happened just before 8 a.m. near Weitz Road between Caldwell and Greenleaf. Highway 19 between Pinto Road and Dixie River Road was shut down for more than two hours while emergency crews responded to the accident.

Police say Mark Smither, 24, of Parma, was driving a maroon 1988 Jeep Cherokee westbound on Highway 19 when, for undetermined reasons, he veered into oncoming traffic.

The Jeep sideswiped a silver 2002 Buick Century driven by Marilyn Waite, 76, of Homedale, and then slammed head-on into a green 1999 Dodge Caravan.

Five people were in the mini-van and a female died on scene. Killed was Marlene Hernandez Louis, 31, of Wilder - a passenger in the van.

Injured were the van driver, Teresa Salazar-Cruz, 41, Jesus Esquivel Rodriquez, 35, Imelda Espinoza Galvan, 34 and one unidentified juvenile female.  It is believed they were all from a labor camp in Wilder.  

Smither was also injured in the crash. Police say he will be tested to see if alcohol was in his system. This is standard procedure in an accident of this type.