WALTON – Three people were killed Wednesday evening on Oregon Highway 126 about 30 miles east of Florence when the driver of a westbound car lost control and hit two eastbound vehicles.
Killed were Allen D. Weaver Jr., 51, of Grace, Idaho, the driver of the Dodge Challenger that caused the crash, and two passengers in one of the vehicles he struck — Lacy N. Taylor, 28, of Eugene and Michele D. Taylor, 58, of Orlando, Fla., Oregon State Police reported.
The crashes occurred about 5:45 on Highway 126 near Pataha Creek Road, three miles west of Walton.
They are the 10th fatalities on the highway in the Walton area in the past two years, according to a count by YachatsNews.
State police said their preliminary investigation indicates Weaver was headed west in his Dodge Challenger when it crossed the double yellow centerline and sideswiped a Nissan Frontier, operated by McKenzie R. Myers, 36, of Florence, which was pulling a travel trailer. Weaver’s car continued out of control and struck a Toyota Tacoma pickup driven by Derek Z. Powell, 31, of Eugene, nearly head on.
Weaver died at the scene, police said.
Powell and one of his three passengers, David M. Taylor, 59, of Orlando, were seriously injured and transported to a hospital for treatment. His two other passengers – Lacy Taylor and Michele Taylor – died at the scene, police said. Michele and David Taylor were visiting Powell and Lacy Taylor, who had moved to Oregon three months ago, according to a relative.
Myers and her passenger, Michelle L. Wilson, 52, of Florence, were not injured.
