Fatal Accident East of Florence

LANE COUNTY, On Thursday, April 3, 2025, at about 2:23 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 126 near Florence in Lane County. The preliminary investigation indicated that a white Freightliner semi-truck traveling westbound, operated by Joseph Jack Botelho (64) of Veneta, and a white Ford T-350 van traveling eastbound, operated by Mathew Jacob Decker (37) of Eugene, collided head-on near milepost 6 on Hwy. 126 for an unknown reason. The operator of the Ford T-350 (Decker) was declared deceased at the scene. The operator of the Freightliner semi-truck (Botelho) had reported minor injuries and was not transported. The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by Western Lane Fire and EMS and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Fatal Accident, Hwy. 255, Curry Co.

CURRY COUNTY, On Thursday, April 3, 2025, at about 5:11 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash in Curry County. The initial report was received via an automated alert system from the vehicle. The preliminary investigation indicated a black Jeep Wagoneer, operated by Virginia Gayle Peare (81) of Brookings, was traveling northbound on Hwy. 255 near milepost 360 when it left the roadway for an unknown reason and rolled down an embankment. The operator (Peare) was declared deceased at the scene. The highway was not impacted by the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, Brookings Fire Department, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and CAL-ORE.