Mark Cowles, 63, Dies in Head-On Collision Between School Bus and Pickup Truck on Highway 97A in Chelan County, Washington - December 6, 2025

A fatal head-on collision occurred on December 6, 2025, at approximately 7:12 AM on Highway 97A near Downie Canyon in Chelan County, Washington, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. According to the Washington State Patrol, a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup truck traveling southbound on Highway 97A crossed the dividing line and struck a Cascade School District bus head-on. The force of the impact caused both vehicles to overturn. The collision involved a total of eleven individuals, including eight students who were passengers on the school bus at the time of the incident.

Mark Cowles, a 63-year-old male resident of Entiat, Washington, was a passenger in the Ford Ranger and was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision. The 32-year-old operator of the pickup truck sustained serious injuries and was transported to a medical facility for treatment. The 39-year-old bus driver sustained injuries requiring hospitalization at Lake Chelan Health. All eight students aboard the school bus were transported to Lake Chelan Health for evaluation; however, none of the students sustained serious injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is currently underway by the Washington State Patrol. Authorities are examining multiple potential contributing factors, including road conditions, visibility, and driver behavior, to determine the precise cause of the head-on collision.