Serious Injury Accident on Hwy. 126W, Sept. 17

Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into an unreported serious injury crash found Tuesday morning by an ODOT employee and OSP trooper off the side of Highway 126W about ten miles west of Veneta. On September 16, 2014 at approximately 7:30 a.m., an OSP trooper patrolling westbound on Highway 126W was following an ODOT employee in a truck near milepost 38. The ODOT employee radioed to the trooper about possibly seeing a tire through the roadside brush. After the trooper and ODOT employee turned around and stopped on the side of the highway, they got out and confirmed there was an overturned vehicle off the highway and it was occupied by a seriously injured unconscious man. After calling for medical response, they started emergency medical care until relieved by personnel from Lane Fire Authority and an ambulance. LifeFlight responded to the scene and transported the seriously injured 36-year old man to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend where he is in the intensive care unit. His name is withheld pending confirmation of next of kin. Initial investigation indicates the crash happened overnight at an unknown time as the 2001 Chevrolet Impala traveled westbound, went off the highway and rolled several times.