Work Zone Crash on I-5 in Southern Oregon Kills Rogue River Woman
Two people were injured in the five vehicle chain reaction crash.
(ROGUE RIVER, Ore. ) — Oregon State Police are continuing their investigation into Monday afternoon's fatal traffic crash involving five vehicles southbound Interstate 5 in a highway work zone about two miles south of Rogue River.
According to Sergeant Tyler Lee, at approximately 5:20 p.m., traffic was moving southbound along Interstate 5 near the bottom of the exit 43 off-ramp in a work zone where traffic was merging from the left lane to the right lane due to a construction-related lane closure.
Preliminary investigation indicates four of the involved vehicles were slowly moving in the right lane when a Ford Escape sport utility vehicle driven by 31-year-old Steven Coleman, from Central Point, failed to slow down and crashed into the back of a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass driven by 65-year-old Gerald Kirk from Rogue River.
The impact caused the Oldsmobile to crash into the back of a Hyundai Sante Fe sport utility vehicle driven by 25-year-old Marie Murphy from Ashland.
Two other vehicles, a 2002 Subaru Forrester and a 2002 Dodge Neon, were then involved in the chain reaction crash.
A passenger in the Oldsmobile identified as 49-year-old Michele Lauritzen from Rogue River, was pronounced deceased at the scene. She was using safety restraints.
Kirk was transported by Mercy Flights to Rogue Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Coleman was checked at the scene by medical personnel but wasn't transported. He is cooperating in the investigation.
Murphy was not reported injured. A passenger in the Subaru was transported with minor injuries to a hospital.
OSP troopers from the Central Point and Grants Pass offices responded to the scene to investigate.
No enforcement action has been taken at this time.
Source: Oregon State Police
