On Wednesday, an otherwise typical afternoon in Douglas County turned tragic when a collision claimed the life of a local motorcyclist. The Oregon State Police have confirmed that they responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 138E, close to milepost 17, at around 2:02 p.m. Details provided by the authorities outline a moment where decisions and trajectories collided with fatal consequences.
The initial investigation revealed that Ronald Lee Grubbs, a 75-year-old man from Glide, was behind the wheel of an eastbound Nissan Versa making a left turn into the Dollar General parking lot. During this maneuver, Grubbs' Nissan crossed the path of Reuben James Wiles, the 26-year-old Idleyld Park resident, who was piloting his westbound Honda motorcycle. The resultant impact, flinging Wiles into the eternal quiet, struck the passenger side of the Nissan.
At the scene of the crash, emergency response teams declared Wiles deceased. The operator of the Nissan and his passenger, identified as Catherine Jean Grubbs, 72, also from Glide, emerged from the wreckage reportedly without injury. The highway witnessed the somber investigation for approximately four hours following the incident. According to the reports, making an unsafe turn was the primary cause of the devastating crash.
Local Glide Fire Services and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) assisted at the scene.
