State Police Log: Man killed on I-5 while trying to retrieve object that flew out of his truck

Editor’s note: The State Police Log is based on information submitted by Oregon State Police.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

• 2 p.m. — Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 in Roseburg that took the life of Evan Nile Cookman, 70, of Winston. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a Chevrolet S-10 driven by Cookman was heading south on I-5 when an object flew out of the back of the truck bed. Cookman pulled over onto the right shoulder and while attempting to retrieve the object, he fell down into the left lane of traffic. A Ford F-550 traveling in the left lane attempted to avoid the man but was unable to avoid a collision and struck him. Cookman was pronounced deceased at the scene.

• 5:26 p.m. — Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 38 about 6 miles west of Elkton that took the life of Christopher Rein Schuerger, 40, of Springfield. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that a Harley Davidson motorcycle headed east on the highway lost control while negotiating a curve and struck a guardrail before coming to an uncontrolled stop in the westbound lane. Multiple motorists stopped and provided first aid prior to the arrival of emergency services. Schuerger was pronounced deceased at the scene. Speed and a wet road conditions were considered to be conditions that contributed to the crash.

MONDAY, APRIL 8

• 6:05 p.m. — Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 260 about 4 miles northeast of Wilderville in Josephine County that took the lives of David Scott Anderson, 39, of Wilderville, and Shelby Mckenzie Spliethof, 28, of Wilderville. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that Anderson was headed east in a Dodge Ram 2500 when the vehicle left the roadway for unknown reasons, struck trees and overturned. Anderson and Spliethof were both declared deceased at the scene.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10

• 12:43 p.m. — Troopers responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 101 about 5 miles north of Gearhart that took the life of Kaleb Allen Shaffer, 48, of Warrenton. OSP’s preliminary investigation indicated that southbound traffic was stopped for a vehicle attempting to turn left from the highway onto Turlay Lane when a Toyota Sienna driven by a 53-year-old Astoria man crossed a double yellow line and began passing the stopped traffic in the northbound lane. The Toyota struck a guardrail and then a northbound Dodge Ram 1500 driven by a 68-year-old Salem woman. The collision caused the Ram to roll into the southbound lane where it collided with a Kia Soul driven by a 55-year-old Astoria woman, which was stopped in traffic. Shaffer, a passenger in the Toyota, was declared deceased at the scene. The Toyota’s driver, Dodge’s driver and the driver and a passenger in the Kia, a 53-year-old Seaside woman, were all injured and transported to a local hospital.