ASTORIA The Astoria Bridge reopened at 9:05 a.m. Wednesday after a two-vehicle fatal accident closed it for nearly four hours.

Nolan Neal Benson, a 27-year-old man from Long Beach, Wash., died in the crash near the middle of the 4.1-mile bridge.

A 2003 Hyundai four-door was traveling northbound on the bridge, according to police officials, and hit a southbound 2003 Toyota pickup head-on, pushing the truck out onto the guardrail, teetering over the side of the bridge for nearly an hour. That driver, Chris A. Levno, age 57, from Kelso, Wash., was rescued. The driver of the car died. Both drivers were using safety restraints.

Levno was transported initially to Columbia Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center with serious injuries.

OSP closed the bridge for the investigation.

An OSP dispatcher said the call about the accident first came in from Astoria Regional Dispatch at 5:29 a.m. OSP?was on scene by 6 a.m.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River launched a 25-foot response boat crew at approximately 6 a.m. to the scene. The crew patrolled the waters below the accident and acted as a safety standby in the event that a person or debris should fall into the water.

The Oregon Department of Transportation advised drivers to take U.S. Highway 30 to the nearest alternate bridge at Longview, Wash., near Rainier.