One dead and one injured in two-vehicle crash on Highway 138W in Douglas County

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Oregon — According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), one person was killed and another was seriously injured in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 138W in Douglas County.

According to OSP, the accident occurred on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash near Milestone 12 off Highway 138 W at approximately 12:15 p.m.

Authorities said their preliminary investigation indicated that a westbound Ford F-350 passed several westbound vehicles in the eastbound lane. An eastbound Kia Sorrento attempted to avoid the pickup by driving on the east shoulder. However, police said the Ford also drove onto the east shoulder to avoid a collision. The vehicles then collided head-on.

The driver of the Kia, 78-year-old Shelley Sue McLaughlin of Newport, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said; the driver of the Ford, 23-year-old Chandler Morgan Sulffridge of Roseburg, suffered serious injuries in the accident and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Highway 138W was closed for approximately five hours while authorities investigated on the scene. According to OSP, the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Sutherlin Fire Department and ODOT.