Tragedy struck on an Oregon highway Monday morning when a two-vehicle collision claimed two lives and left another seriously injured near Albany. The incident occurred on Highway 226 near milepost 1.5, according to the Oregon State Police. At about 7:47 a.m., a red Buick Envoy driven by Jarri Lynn Saul, 55, of Lebanon, attempted a turn which set the stage for a fatal encounter.
As Saul was turning north onto Old Bridge Drive, the Buick entered the path of an oncoming blue Kenworth truck. The crash resulted in an almost head-on collision between the two vehicles. Saul was pronounced dead at the scene, along with a front passenger, a 15-year-old female Japanese exchange student. Another Japanese exchange student, also 15, seated in the rear of the Buick, was seriously injured and had to be flown to a local hospital. The truck driver, identified as Douglas Edward Ahlberg, 49, of Aumsville, walked away unharmed.
The investigation into the crash by the Oregon State Police lasted several hours, during which Highway 226 was obstructed for about four hours. The OSP's efforts were supported by the Linn County Sheriff's Office, Albany Fire Department, and Oregon Department of Transportation. The authorities have yet to disclose any further details regarding potential causal factors of the crash.
Details concerning the exchange students or any memorials have not been made public as of this report.
