Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into this mornings critical injury crash on Highway 126W in Lane County. On February 11, 2016 at 9:32 a.m. OSP troopers and emergency responders were dispatched to a critical injury crash involving two vehicles on Highway 126W west of Veneta. Once on scene, troopers determined that a 1997 Chevrolet pickup, operated by James Swain, age 49, from Florence, was eastbound and for unknown reasons lost control and side-swiped the guardrail on the eastbound side of the highway. SWAIN’S pickup continued eastbound and crossed the centerline and into the path of a westbound ODOT pickup, operated by Dominic Luebbers, age 19, from Salem. SWAIN and his passenger Timothy Driver, age 26, from Florence were both transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. SWAIN is being treated for critical injuries and DRIVER is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. LUEBBERS was also transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend for precautionary reasons. OSP troopers from the Springfield Area Command are continuing the investigation into the cause of the crash. Seatbelt usage is undetermined. The highway was closed for several hours while troopers investigated the scene.
