A routine attempt to question a 69-year-old man about an alleged shoplifting incident in Myrtle Point ended in a head-on crash Saturday that killed a local man, a young Coquille woman and a 4-month-old baby girl. Oregon State Police say the man, Gregory Paul Olson, fled from a city police officer at high speed before losing control and slamming into an oncoming vehicle on Highway 42.
According to KEZI 9 News, a Myrtle Point police officer tried to contact Olson regarding a report that he had left a local business without paying for merchandise. Oregon State Police say the incident had happened several hours earlier, and that when the officer approached, Olson fled in a silver Land Rover LR3, heading east on Highway 42 at a high rate of speed.
Police say Olson then lost control of the Land Rover, crossed the center line, and struck a westbound blue Subaru Forester head-on near milepost 21 — within Myrtle Point's city limits — at approximately 4:46 p.m. Saturday, according to Oregon State Police.
Three Lives Lost, Including an Infant
The Subaru's driver, 32-year-old James Edward Price of Myrtle Point, was towing a jet ski and died at the scene, per the KEZI report. His passenger, 20-year-old Genevieve Marie Huffaker of neighboring Coquille, was taken to an area hospital, where she later died. A 4-month-old girl who was also in the vehicle was flown to a Portland-area hospital, where she died as well, the station reports.
Olson suffered serious injuries in the crash and remains hospitalized, per the same OSP account, receiving treatment while the investigation continues. State police have not indicated when charges might be filed or whether Olson has been formally arrested.
Specialized Crash Team Deployed to Scene
Oregon State Police say its Collision Reconstruction Unit is assisting with the investigation, deploying ACTAR-accredited reconstructionists, advanced measuring instruments and small unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, to map the crash scene in detail.
The crash occurred on a stretch of highway with a documented history of serious wrecks. Oregon Department of Transportation crash records reviewed on Facebook show Highway 42 recorded 372 motor vehicle accidents between 2012 and 2021, including nine fatal crashes. The same data indicates Coos County ranks 9th among Oregon's 36 counties for traffic fatalities per capita, with a rate of 29.4 deaths per 100,000 residents — roughly double the statewide average.
Potential Charges Under Oregon Law
Under Oregon Revised Statutes § 811.540, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer while driving is a Class C felony, carrying penalties that include mandatory license suspension and potential civil forfeiture of the vehicle, according to Justia. Separately, Oregon Revised Statutes § 163.118 defines first-degree manslaughter as recklessly causing a death under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life — a Class A felony that carries a Measure 11 mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The Oregon District Attorneys Association has pushed lawmakers to amend ORS 811.540 to create enhanced felony sentencing tiers for cases where a suspect's high-speed flight results in injury, death or severe reckless endangerment, according to legislative testimony records. It is not yet known whether Olson will face charges once he is discharged from the hospital.
Another Deadly Crash on the Same Highway
This is not the first fatal wreck on this stretch of road to draw scrutiny. Hoodline previously reported on a Highway 42 crash in Coos County that led to manslaughter and DUI charges. Oregon State Police say the investigation into Saturday's crash remains ongoing.
