A 56-year-old Salem man died after a collision between his bicycle and a car at the intersection of 25th Street Southeast and State Street on Saturday afternoon. Dean Edward Butcher was taken to a hospital with serious injuries following the crash and later succumbed to them, according to police.
Officers responded to the vehicle-versus-bicycle crash at about 3:05 p.m. on October 31, according to the Salem Police Department. Investigators said a 23-year-old driver had been stopped at a red light while heading northbound on 25th Street before beginning a right turn onto eastbound State Street, as reported by the Statesman Journal. Butcher, meanwhile, was riding westbound on State Street when his bicycle came into contact with the car's left front corner, causing him to fall.
Accounts of the exact nature of the impact differ. The Statesman Journal reported that Butcher's bike made contact with the left front corner of the car, while KPTV described Butcher as having been struck head-on by a car turning right on a red light. Both outlets agree that Butcher fell and was transported to a hospital with serious injuries before he died from them.
Driver Stayed and Cooperated, Police Say
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, the same account notes. Police have said next of kin were notified about Butcher's death, and the Salem Police Department has assigned the case number SMP26025914 as it continues working the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Beyond the driver's age and the sequence of the turn, authorities have not released the driver's name, the vehicle involved, or whether any citations or charges are being considered. Investigators have also not detailed the specific injuries Butcher sustained or disclosed road, lighting, or weather conditions at the time of the crash.
Conflicting Counts of Salem's Fatal Crashes This Year
The Statesman Journal reported that Saturday's crash marked the seventh fatal traffic crash investigated by Salem Police in 2026, resulting in seven deaths. A separate Salem Police Department news release distributed via FlashAlert put the tally lower, stating that the department had responded to five fatal crashes resulting in five fatalities in 2026. The discrepancy between the two figures has not been resolved.
Saturday's crash follows other bicycle fatalities reported in Salem this year. In April, KPTV reported that a 54-year-old Salem bicyclist died after being hit by a utility van, though details of that earlier case remain limited in available reporting.
