June 29, 2023 5:20 p.m.
Covering coastal Douglas County:
Two people died in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 101 near Gardiner on Wednesday afternoon.
An Oregon State Police report said troopers responded to the crash at approximately 12:10 p.m.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a southbound pickup, operated by 35-year old Raymond Louis Eby Jr. of Molalla, crossed into the on-coming northbound lane for unknown reasons. The pickup collided with a northbound SUV, driven by 51-year old Shawna Michelle Coolidge of Florence. As a result of the wreck, the pickup rolled over and came to an uncontrolled rest on its roof blocking the northbound lane. The pickup received heavy front-end damage. The SUV left the roadway after the collision and came to an uncontrolled rest down a small embankment adjacent to the northbound lanes. The SUV sustained heavy front-end damage.
Both drivers were declared deceased at the scene.
A three-year old child in the SUV was transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was later transferred to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield.
Highway 101 was impacted for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation.