The Oregon State Police are investigating the cause of a crash near Ukiah on Tuesday that took the life of a 79-year-old man.
Around 11:16 a.m., the OSP Southern Command Center received a report of a vehicle that ran off the roadway and down a ditch on Highway 395 near milepost 36B (near Ukiah). Troopers from the Pendleton office of the Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, and The Pendleton Police Department responded to the scene.
Officers found the lone male occupant of the vehicle had been ejected during the crash and was deceased. The vehicle had traveled approximately 200 yards down a draw and rolled before coming to a rest.
Members of the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Pendleton Fire and The Department of Forestry worked together in order to remove the deceased driver from the scene. At this time there is no evidence to suggest that speed or intoxicant impairment were factors in the crash.
The identity of the deceased driver, who is from out of s,tate will be released later today.
