A 62-year-old Junction City man was killed Thursday in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 99W north of Monroe when his vehicle left the road and hit a large tree, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Deputies responded to a report of the crash at 2:48 p.m. April 13 on the highway just north of Old River Road. The driver was reported to have been northbound in a Kia Spectra when his car traveled across the centerline and crashed into a large tree on the west side of the highway.
The man was extricated from the vehicle and transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis where he was later pronounced deceased.
The BCSO Crash Team reported that it observed no indication of braking or evasive maneuvering before the crash, consistent with a medical incident. Investigators also learned the driver had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit, which is believed to have been a factor.
BCSO was assisted on the scene by the Monroe Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Deputies have now responded to three fatal crashes since the beginning of this year.
The crash remains an active investigation. For anyone who witnessed the incident, contact BCSO Deputy Jesse Blaser at Jesse.Blaser@bentoncountyor.gov or 541-766-6858.