A 48-year-old Newberg man and a 17-year-old male passenger were killed late Friday night when their Subaru Forester left Highway 126W in Lane County and slammed into a tree, according to Oregon State Police. Troopers responded to the crash near milepost 33 at approximately 10:02 p.m. on Sept. 18, and both people inside the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators identified the driver as Max Timothy Hill, 48, of Newberg, according to Oregon State Police. The red Subaru Forester was traveling eastbound on Highway 126 when, for unknown reasons, it left the roadway and struck a tree on the shoulder, per investigators. The name of the 17-year-old passenger has not been released.
Highway Shut Down for Hours During Investigation
The crash prompted a lengthy road closure while troopers worked the scene. Oregon State Police said the highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation, while a report from KEZI described Highway 126 as closed for about four hours during the same window.
Multiple agencies responded to assist Oregon State Police at the scene. Western Lane EMS, the Siuslaw Valley Fire Department, the Lane County Sheriff's Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation all took part in the response, according to the same police account.
Investigation Ongoing
As of this report, investigators have not said why the Subaru left the roadway. KATU confirmed the same basic timeline of the crash, which occurred late Friday night on Highway 126W in Lane County. No further details about the cause of the crash have been made public.
