Two Sweet Home men were killed in an afternoon crash in Linn County, June 25

According to Sergeant Nathan House, on June 24, 2015 at about 4:06PM, OSP Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a head-on collision on HWY 34 Milepost 7.5 (near Tangent). Preliminary information indicates a 2013 Ford F150 was traveling eastbound on HWY 34, and for unknown reasons, crossed the centerline into the westbound lanes. The Ford struck a westbound 2007 Kenworth dump truck, operated by Scott D LILLIS, age 51, of Philomath, head-on. The dump truck and its trailer (loaded with gravel) overturned and came to rest in the westbound lanes of travel. LILLIS was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Albany for serious injuries. The operator of the Ford, Donald L ROBERTS, age 24, of Sweet Home, was transported by air ambulance to Salem Memorial Hospital where he died. His passenger, Mason D TAGEN, age 25, of Sweet Home, was deceased upon emergency crews arriving. On scene evidence indicates ROBERTS and LILLIS were using seatbelts and TAGEN was not. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Both directions of HWY 34 were closed for several hours while the investigation and recovery efforts were made. OSP was assisted on scene by Tangent Fire, Albany Fire and the Oregon Department of Transportation.