Editor’s note: This report is based on information submitted by the Oregon State Police. All crashes with fatalities may not be included. The status of incidents might change after further investigation.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30
• 7:29 p.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 26 near Sandy that took the life of Christopher James Hamre, 42, of Redmond. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that an eastbound Toyota Tacoma driven by an 18-year-old Whitefish, Montana, man was traveling near Sandy when the driver fell asleep, crossed into the westbound lane and collided with a westbound Subaru Outback driven by a 45-year-old Redmond woman. Hamre, a passenger in the Subaru, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Subaru’s driver was transported by Life Flight to an area hospital with serious injuries. The Toyota’s driver was not injured and remained on scene to cooperate with the investigation.
SATURDAY, MAY 2
• 5:44 p.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 20 northwest of Sweet Home that took the life of Karen Gail Ramirez, 69, of Sweet Home. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a westbound Jeep Wrangler driven by Mariah Darlene Lopez, 30, of Sweet Home, was traveling near Sweet Home when it crossed into the eastbound lane and struck Ramirez’s eastbound Kia Forte head-on. Ramirez was ejected from the vehicle. The Jeep Wrangler had reportedly been driving recklessly prior to the crash. Ramirez was pronounced deceased at the scene. Lopez was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries and was arrested on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. Lopez was lodged at the Linn County Jail following her release from the hospital. Investigators ask witnesses to the crash or those who observed the driving behavior of the involved vehicles — a white Jeep Wrangler with a black hardtop and aftermarket wheels and a black Kia Forte — prior to the crash to contact Oregon State Police dispatch at 800-442-0776 or by calling *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone (reference case number SP26-142871).
SUNDAY, MAY 3
• 1:54 p.m. — Troopers responded to a three-vehicle crash involving two motorcycles on Highway 126 east of Florence that took the life of Brandon Taylor Oetken, 38, of Florence. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a Volvo 240 driven by a 50-year-old Florence woman slowed to a stop in the eastbound lane of Highway 126 to make a left turn into a mobile home park near Rose Hill Road when it was rear-ended by a green Harley Davidson Heritage Softail motorcycle ridden by Oetken, which sent the rider to the ground. A white Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle ridden by a 65-year-old Florence man then struck the rear of the green motorcycle causing the rider to lose control and lay the motorcycle on its side. The white Harley Davidson slid approximately 150 feet before coming to a stop. Good Samaritans stopped to render aid to the two down riders. Oetken was pronounced deceased at the scene. The rider of the white Harley Davidson was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The Volvo’s driver was transported to an area hospital as a precaution with reported complaints of pain.
• 4:17 p.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle on Highway 20 east of Santiam Junction that took the life of Kevin Allen Cloud, 65, of Scio. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that Cloud was riding a westbound Harley-Davidson FHX and attempted to pass westbound traffic, crossing the double yellow line into the eastbound lane. The motorcycle collided head-on with an eastbound Kia Sedona driven by a 49-year-old Bend woman. Cloud was transported by Life Flight to an area hospital with serious injuries. He died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The Kia’s driver had minor injuries. A 14-year-old girl passenger in the Kia was not injured.
TUESDAY, MAY 5
• 4:48 p.m. — Troopers responded to a vehicle-pedestrian crash on Highway 99W south of Junction City that took the life of Joel Robert Benjamin Coriell, 35, of Junction City. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a southbound Hyundai Elantra driven by a 16-year-old girl was traveling near Junction City when the driver became distracted, left the travel lane and struck Coriell, who had been walking along the southbound shoulder of the highway. Coriell was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries and later died at the hospital. The Hyundai’s driver had minor injuries. She remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation.
• 10:24 p.m. — Troopers responded to a vehicle-pedestrian crash on Highway 97 west of Shaniko in Wasco County that took the life of Lutah Avis Wallulatum, 42, of Warm Springs. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a fully loaded southbound Peterbilt semi-truck with trailer driven by a 60-year-old Spokane, Washington, man was traveling near Bake Oven Road when it struck Wallulatum, who was walking in the travel lane. Wallulatum was subsequently struck by a second unknown vehicle in the northbound travel lane. She is believed to have been walking along the highway after the vehicle she was traveling in broke down a short distance from the crash location. Wallulatum was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Peterbilt’s driver was not injured. He remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. Investigators are seeking witnesses or anyone who may have been traveling in the area at the time. They are especially interested in information from people who were between mileposts 57 and 68 on Highway 97 (between Shaniko and the Cow Creek Rest Area) on May 5 between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., and who may have seen pedestrians or reported possibly striking an animal in the area during that time. Anyone with information is asked to call Oregon State Police dispatch at 800-442-2068 or *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone (reference case number SP26-146196).