On May 14, 2017 at about 7:30 pm, troopers responded to a single vehicle crash near milepost 11 on Highway 126E just east of Springfield. The preliminary investigation indicated a maroon 2004 Chevy Trailblazer, operated by Veneta resident 34 year old James Lee Hammons, was eastbound and for unknown reasons, went over the oncoming lane and off the roadway striking a tree. Hammons died at the scene as a result of his injuries.
