Lane County, OR (October 24, 2024) — A tragic accident on Highway 126 in Lane County on Tuesday afternoon resulted in one fatality and another individual hospitalized, according to the Oregon State Police.
The incident occurred around 3:15 p.m. on October 22 near milepost 19. A westbound Kenworth log truck, driven by 50-year-old Billy Lee Bales Coder of Myrtle Point, experienced a catastrophic engine failure, leading to a substantial oil spill approximately 200 yards long as the truck exited the Knowles Creek Tunnel and pulled over.
The oil slick caused a Nissan Rogue, which was traveling westbound on the roadway, driven by 65-year-old Mary Helen Dale of Florence, to lose control and crash into the parked Kenworth. The Rogue eventually came to rest off the highway.
A westbound Toyota Prius, driven by 48-year-old Radiantly Jaime Gaines from Eugene, lost control on an oil slick and veered into the eastbound lane, where it collided head-on with an eastbound Chevrolet HHR operated by 59-year-old Christine Dorene Weathers from Florence. Unfortunately, Weathers was pronounced dead at the scene, while Gaines sustained serious injuries and was transported to a medical facility for treatment.
Neither Coder nor Dale sustained injuries. The highway was closed for about nine and a half hours for investigation, which remains ongoing.
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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
- The information in this article is based on initial reports from local authorities and may be subject to updates as investigations continue.
- The identities of those involved in the incident have not been released pending official confirmation and notification of next of kin.
- Further details about the accident, including toxicology results and potential charges, will be shared as they become available.
- Road closures and traffic updates related to the accident scene can be found by checking with local authorities or traffic monitoring services.
The content of this news story is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. All information is based on public reports at the time of publication, and details may change as investigations progress. Readers are encouraged to seek legal counsel if they or someone they know have been involved in a similar incident. The publisher assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this article. Learn more with our disclaimer.
