MARION/YAMHILL COUNTY, Ore. 22 March 2024 – The Oregon State Police is seeking the public’s assistance with locating a vehicle and driver involved in a collision with a pedestrian on the bridge between Newberg and St. Paul on Highway 219.
The incident occurred on March 15, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m.
A pedestrian was walking southbound along the side of the road and was struck by the side mirror of a passing vehicle and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The vehicle is believed to be a newer model (2017-2022) Ford Super Duty pickup and will likely have damage to the passenger side mirror.
Anyone with information is asked to contact OSP at 800-442-0776 or dial *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone. Please reference case number #SP24083039.
Sherman County, Ore. 18 March 24- On Monday, March 18, 2024, at 11:45 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-97, near milepost 47, in Sherman County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Volkswagen Beetle, operated by Jayden Matthew Smith (23) of Prineville, crossed into the southbound lane for unknown reasons and struck a Volvo commercial motor vehicle and trailer, operated by Kashmir Singh (36) of Tacoma (WA), head-on. The collision caused both vehicles to catch fire and become fully engulfed.
The operator of the Volkswagen (Smith) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Volvo (CMV) was not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately 6.5 hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Grant County, Ore. 18 March 24- On Monday, March 18, 2024, at 2:49 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Hwy 19, near milepost 110, in Grant County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Harley Davidson FXD motorcycle, operated by Louie Warren (81) of Redmond, failed to negotiate a corner, crossed the southbound travel lane, and left the roadway. The Harley Davidson traveled down a steep embankment and came to rest on rocks approximately 15 feet below the roadway.
The operator of the Harley Davidson (Warren) was declared deceased at the scene.
The highway was impacted for approximately .5 hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by Monument Ambulance and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Douglas County, Ore. 18 March 24- On Monday, March 18, 2024, at 10:37 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5, near milepost 124, in Douglas County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Subaru Outback, operated by Rodney Ash (76) of Seattle (WA), was passing a Freightliner commercial motor vehicle, operated by Kevin Mills (42) of Newberg, while negotiating a sharp curve. The Subaru contacted the left front corner of the Freightliner causing the Subaru to turn across the front of the CMV. The Subaru slid across the travel lanes, jumped over the concrete barrier, rolled down an embankment, and came to rest on its roof.
The operator of the Freightliner (Mills) was transported as a precautionary measure.
The operator of the Subaru (Rodney Ash) was transported to an area hospital with unknown injuries.
A passenger in the Subaru, Laura Patricia Ash (81) of Seattle (WA), was transported and later declared deceased at a local hospital.
The highway was impacted for approximately two hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Roseburg Police Department, Roseburg Fire, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Douglas County, Ore. 12 March 24- On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at 5:22 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Interstate 5, near milepost 127, in Douglas County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Ford F-150, operated by Brian Surgeon (45) of Myrtle Creek, was merging onto southbound Interstate 5 when it struck a pedestrian, Christopher Zeutzius (47) of Lakeside, who was crossing the on-ramp.
The pedestrian (Zeutzius) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Ford (Surgeon) was not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by Roseburg Fire, Roseburg Police Department, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Clackamas County, Ore. 9 March 24- On Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 11:55 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Hwy-99E, at the intersection with SE Maple St, in Clackamas County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound Volkswagen Passat, operated by Alex Petrovskiy (43) of Milwaukie, struck a pedestrian, Krishan Patel (36) of Douglasville (GA), who was in the fast lane.
The pedestrian (Patel) was declared deceased at the scene.
The Volkswagen operator (Petrovskiy) was not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately 2.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas Fire, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Klamath County, Ore. 11 Mar. 2024- On Monday, March 11, 2024, at 7:50 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-58, near milepost 68, in Klamath County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Kenworth commercial motor vehicle and trailer, operated by Malkit Singh (28) of Liberty Lake (WA), was traveling eastbound when the trailer slid into the westbound travel lane. A westbound Toyota Tacoma, operated by Michael Edward Davis (57) of Dallas, struck the CMV trailer.
The operator of the Kenworth (Singh) suffered minor injuries.
The operator of the Toyota (M. Davis) was declared deceased at the scene. A passenger in the Toyota, Kelly Jo Davis (53) of Dallas, suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.
The highway was impacted for approximately 7 hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Jackson County, Ore. 6 Mar. 24- On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 5:16 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 140, near milepost 8, in Jackson County.
The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Peterbilt CMV and trailer, operated by Ronald R. Lacy (47) of Eagle Point, attempted to make a left turn onto Brownsboro Rd. An eastbound Jeep Compass, operated by Trinity H. Sanchez (24) of Klamath Falls, crossed over the double yellow line in a no-passing zone and attempted to pass the Peterbilt. The Jeep struck the rear of the Peterbilt CMV during the attempted pass.
The operator of the Jeep (Sanchez) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Peterbilt (Lacy) was reportedly not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately 5 hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Eagle Point Police Department, Lake Creek Rural Fire District, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, and ODOT.
Klamath County, Ore. 29 Feb. 24- On Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 10:02 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-97, near milepost 174, in Klamath County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Peterbilt CMV and trailer, operated by Desiree Danielle Johnson (34) of St. Petersburg (FL), when it lost control and jackknifed in the roadway. The Peterbilt spun and crossed into the path of a northbound Honda Pilot, operated by Elise Adair Farrens (37) of La Pine, where the Honda struck the CMV trailer.
The operator of the Honda (Farrens) was declared deceased at the scene. A passenger in the Honda, Daviana Marie Trussell (23) of La Pine, was transported to the hospital with critical injuries. Trussell, who was pregnant, tragically suffered the loss of her child due to injuries sustained during the crash.
The operator of the Peterbilt (Johnson) reportedly suffered minor injuries.
The highway was impacted for approximately 3.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The investigation is ongoing at this time.
OSP was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Department, Crescent Fire, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Curry County, Ore. 29 Feb. 24- On Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 8:37 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy-101, near milepost 347, in Curry County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Toyota Corolla, operated by Nathan Garcia (43) of Brookings, was northbound when it reportedly hydroplaned into the southbound travel lane. The Toyota spun into the path of a southbound Dodge Ram 2500, operated by Mark Nichols (78) of Port Orford, causing a side impact.
The operator of the Toyota (Garcia) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Dodge (Nichols) was transported with reportedly minor injuries.
The highway was impacted for approximately 2.5 hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Curry County Sheriff’s Department, Brookings Fire and Rescue, Cape Ferrello Fire, and ODOT.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Seized Fentanyl powder
Traffic stop leads to seizure of fentanyl pills and powder (Photo) – 02/29/24
LINN COUNTY, Ore. 29 Feb. 2024 – A recent traffic stop in Linn County resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of fentanyl powder and pills headed for the street.
On Feb. 16, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., an OSP trooper stopped a silver Honda Accord at milepost 219 on I-5 for a traffic violation. The trooper observed suspicious behavior by the vehicle occupants that pointed to possible drug activity. A K-9 unit was called to assist.
The K-9 alerted on possible illegal drugs. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 10,000 fentanyl pills and four pounds of fentanyl powder from a grocery bag behind the driver’s seat. A small amount of other illegal narcotics was also found in the vehicle.
The vehicle operator, Danny Yohan Cruz Benitz (18) of Oakland (CA), was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and attempted delivery of a controlled substance. Passenger, Walter Omar Mayorga Aguilar (20) of Sacramento (CA), was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, attempted delivery of a controlled substance, and a parole/probation violation.
The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available for release at this time.
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About the Oregon State Police
Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
Forensic approximation side view
Remains of Sandra Young identified after 54 years (Photo) – 02/22/24
Previously unidentified remains resolved through advanced DNA technology
PORTLAND, Ore. 22 Feb. 2024 – Through dedicated inter-agency cooperation, the remains of a previously unidentified young woman have been identified as Sandra Young, a Portland teenager who went missing from the Portland metro area more than five decades ago. The young woman was a Grant High School student and had not been seen since 1968 or 1969.
“Sandra Young has now regained her identity after 54 years,” said Dr. Nici Vance, the state’s Human Identification Program Coordinator at the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office. “Her story represents a remarkable amount of diligence and collaboration between family members, detectives, Oregon State Medical Examiner staff, and our contract laboratory Parabon Nanolabs. This is yet another example of the innovative ways the ME’s Office and investigative genetic genealogy can help Oregonians find closure. This technology gives investigators the powerful ability to assist all Oregon agencies with the resolution of their cold case mysteries,” Dr. Vance continued.
On Feb. 23, 1970, the remains of a fully skeletonized young female were discovered buried in a shallow grave at the far north end of Sauvie Island in Columbia County. The discovery was made by a Boy Scout troop leader, who first saw what he thought were items of clothing and then discovered human remains within the grave. Investigators recovered the remains and the remnants of a black curly wig. Investigators believed the remains were that of an African American and trauma to the body indicated foul play.
The young decedent, still unidentified, was moved to the state medical examiner facility in Clackamas County in 2004 along with more than 100 additional sets of unidentified remains. An anthropology report was completed, a bone sample was submitted to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, and a NamUs profile was created.
The case was the subject of consistent attention by the state medical examiner’s office. DNA results had been uploaded into CODIS, but no genetic associations were discovered. The DNA results indicated the remains were, in fact, that of a female. The NamUs system was checked for new cases of missing teenagers and young adult women on the West Coast, but none appeared to match the decedent. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) picked up the case and provided media attention and a more thorough review of additional missing person websites. DNA results only indicated that the remains were female in origin.
In 2018, the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner’s Office was awarded a National Institute of Justice grant to perform innovative DNA techniques on unsolved unidentified skeletal remains cases. This case was recognized as one that could potentially be resolved by DNA Phenotyping and Investigative Genetic Genealogy provided by OSP’s contract lab, Parabon NanoLabs.
An additional bone sample was submitted for DNA extraction, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA profile was successfully analyzed.
The first Parabon Nanolabs report to be completed was a DNA Snapshot© Report, where genetic material is used to determine eye color, hair color, skin color, and the ancestry of the deceased. The report predicted this individual was of West African, South African, and Northern European descent, with brown to dark brown skin, brown eyes, and black hair.
The subsequent investigative genetic genealogy report, unfortunately, showed the lack of promising leads in the now 50-year-old cold case. Recommendations and contacts were made, but additional follow-up was slow.
Further analysis was performed by Parabon NanoLabs, with encouraging results. In February 2021, a deeper genetic dive was taken into the young woman’s ancestry, and a prediction of her facial characteristics was created. “To see her face come to life through DNA phenotyping was striking,” said Dr. Vance.
In January 2023, an individual uploaded their DNA into the open-source genetic genealogy database GEDMatch and immediately was recognized as a potential distant family member of the decedent. Through research and interviews, the genetic genealogist encouraged other members of the family to upload their DNA data into GEDMatch, and a more complete picture of heritage emerged.
In July 2023 an additional Parabon report was completed. Descendants and countless family trees were developed; more matches came to light and communication with family members indicated that a teenage girl named Sandra Young went missing from Portland around the time the decedent was discovered. Sandra was a Grant High School student and appeared to be the sister of one of the genetic matches who, when contacted by the genealogist, agreed to assist in uploading their DNA data into GEDMatch.
Because Sandra was last seen in Portland, the Portland Police Bureau was contacted for assistance. PPB Detective Heidi Helwig took information from the Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) report and contacted the DNA donor. Through a series of informative, poignant, and difficult interviews, Detective Helwig learned that this individual not only lost a teenage sister when Sandra went missing in 1968 or 1969, they also lost a sister to gun violence in the 1970s. The family member was cooperative, supportive, and motivated to determine if the remains could be their sister, Sandra Young.
In October 2023, the Kinship Inference Report was definitive in its conclusions. Genetic evidence confirmed the hypothesis that the young decedent was Sandra “Sandy” Young, born June 25, 1951, and unaccounted for since 1968 or 1969.
Based on the totality of the evidence (both genetic and circumstantial) Oregon Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sean Hurst positively identified the individual as Sandra Young and the next-of-kin has been notified. The PPB detective division is now aware of the case and has been encouraged to conduct further investigation to determine, if possible, the circumstances of Sandy Young’s death.
Significant resources are needed to continue this type of advanced testing at the State Medical Examiner’s Office. Genetic genealogy casework and confirmation testing have shown incredibly successful results but can cost between $6,000-$10,000 per case. The State Medical Examiner’s Office is eager to continue the good work of identifying unknown decedents once again if funding is secured for future testing.
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About the State Medical Examiner’s Office
The State Medical Examiner’s Office is the sole provider of forensic pathology services throughout Oregon and seeks to provide professional, timely, consistent, and compassionate death investigation services. Deputy State Medical Examiners are stationed in the Portland metro area (Clackamas), Eugene area, and Central Point, performing forensic autopsies and certifying the cause and manner of deaths under medical examiner jurisdiction. Our team closely collaborates with county medical examiners and medical legal death investigators employed by each county’s death investigation program, providing technical supervision of all medicolegal death investigations.
Original Article: Source