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Editor's note: This story was updated at 6 p.m. Previous versions appear below.
TYEE — Police have identified a man who was killed in a single-vehicle crash Monday evening on Highway 138 West.Laurence Neal Burke, 66, of Reedsport died after his red, 1991 Mazda Miata convertible went off the road at Milepost 14.5 westbound, according to an Oregon State Police news release.
Passerbys at the scene reported the crash at 11:20 p.m., northwest of Sutherlin. Police are still investigating the crash, which may have been caused by Burke suffering a medical problem.
Burke's family has been notified of his death.
According to the release, the Miata was westbound on the highway when it left the road and drove about 100 feet into a westbound ditch.
The vehicle then struck the dirt/embankment and flipped completely over, landing in the ditch on the driver's side, facing eastbound. Officials saw no braking or evasive tire marks on the road prior to the crash scene, OSP reported.
Burke was wearing a seatbelt. The passersby found him deceased at the scene.
OSP and a medical examiner are investigating the possibility the driver suffered some type of medical problem prior to the crash. Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Travis Terry was the on-scene medical examiner.
State police, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Fire/EMS, the Kellogg Fire/EMS and the Oregon Department of Transportation responded to the scene.
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TYEE — A 66-year-old Reedsport man was killed in a single-vehicle crash Monday evening on Highway 138 West near the Tyee curves, police said this morning.The crash may have been caused by the driver suffering a medical problem, according to an Oregon State Police news release.
Officials are withholding the man's name pending family notification.
A Tyee-area couple returning from an afternoon at the beach came upon the man and his vehicle, a family member of the couple said this morning.
Erin Langkamp, 24, and her boyfriend, Chris Wagner, 26, were eastbound on the highway near Milepost 14 at about 11:20 p.m., after spending the afternoon in Winchester Bay, Erin's father, Scott Langkamp, said this morning.
As the couple approached the Tyee curves, northwest of Sutherlin, they saw a vehicle on its side just off the road, he said.
The couple approached the vehicle and saw a man buckled into a seat belt. Wagner tried to find a pulse several places on the man and to hear breathing in the man's chest, but was not successful, Scott Langkamp said.
The couple then went to Scott Langkamp's house, which is nearby. Scott Langkamp called the police, who arrived in less than 15 minutes, he said.
Early this morning, OSP officials said a preliminary investigation revealed the driver was driving a 1991 Mazda Miata west on the highway when his car traveled into a ditch along the westbound shoulder for about 100 feet before striking a dirt embankment and rocks. The car flipped and landed on the driver side facing east in a ditch. Officials saw no braking or evasive tire marks on the road prior to the crash scene, OSP reported.
OSP and the Douglas County medical examiner are investigating the possibility the driver suffered some type of medical problem prior to the crash.
State police, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Fire/EMS, the Kellogg Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation responded to the scene.
Although the Tyee-area couple were not able to revive the man, Scott Langkamp said he thought it was wonderful they stopped to help him.
“They tried to help the man and tried to see if they could help him stay alive,” Langkamp said, “but Chris said it was very obvious he was not breathing at all.”
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
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TYEE — A 66-year old man died late Monday night when his car drove off the side of Highway 138 West near the Tyee curves northwest of Sutherlin and came to rest on its side in a ditch.Oregon State Police reported this morning that the accident may have been caused by a medical problem suffered by the driver prior to the crash. The victim was alone and safety restraints had been used.
The driver's name was withheld pending notification of relatives.
A passing motorist spotted a car on its side in a ditch along the westbound shoulder of Highway 138 West near Milepost 14 at about 11:20 p.m. Monday night, according to OSP Sgt. Lynn Withers.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the man was westbound in a 1991 Mazda Miata when the car traveled into a ditch along the westbound shoulder for about 100 feet before striking a dirt embankment and rocks. The car flipped and landed on its driver side facing eastbound. There were no braking or evasive tire marks on the roadway prior to the crash scene, OSP reported.
State police, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Fire/EMS, the Kellogg Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation responded to the scene.
OSP and the Douglas County medical examiner are investigating the possibility that the driver suffered some type of medical problem just prior to the crash.
