MYRTLE POINT, Coos County, OR, Sept. 21, 2026 — Three people died Saturday afternoon, September 19, after a fleeing driver reportedly crashed head-on into another car on Highway 42, according to Oregon State Police.
The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. near milepost 21, inside Myrtle Point city limits, state authorities said. Investigators said a Myrtle Point police officer had been trying to stop a driver, identified by troopers as a 69-year-old man, who was suspected of leaving a local business without paying for merchandise hours earlier.
The man fled east at a high rate of speed in an SUV, lost control and struck a westbound Subaru that was towing a jet ski, according to state police. The Subaru's driver, a 32-year-old man, and a passenger, a 20-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 4-month-old girl who was also in the car was flown to a Portland-area hospital, where she later died, police said.
The fleeing driver was hospitalized with serious injuries, state police reported. His condition has not been publicly updated.
The crash remains under investigation. Oregon State Police have not released further details on charges or the driver's condition.
Our sympathies are with the families of everyone who lost their lives.
How Investigators Piece Together a Fatal Pursuit Crash
Reconstructing a crash that follows a police pursuit takes time because investigators have to establish two separate timelines: the pursuit itself and the collision that ended it. Troopers measure skid marks, map debris fields, and pull data from vehicle event recorders to determine speed, braking and impact points before drawing any conclusions.
Names of people killed are typically withheld until every next of kin has been formally notified, which can take days depending on how many families are involved. A toxicology screening, if one is ordered, takes several weeks to come back from a lab, and a full crash reconstruction report can take even longer once all the physical evidence and witness statements are compiled.
That waiting period is not unusual for two-vehicle fatal crashes tied to a pursuit. Agencies generally wait for confirmed lab results and completed measurements before issuing a final account, rather than releasing preliminary findings that could later change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What typically causes a head-on collision?
Head-on crashes happen when a vehicle crosses the centerline because of high speed, loss of control, impaired driving or a driver swerving to avoid another hazard.
Why are head-on crashes so often deadly?
Two vehicles traveling toward each other combine their speeds at the moment of impact, so the forces involved are much higher than in a rear-end or side-impact crash.
Where do most head-on crashes occur?
They concentrate on two-lane rural highways without a center barrier, where opposing traffic is separated only by a painted line.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 44 percent of fatally injured passenger-vehicle occupants in frontal impacts were belted in 2023.
What to Do After a Head-On Crash in Myrtle Point, OR
If you're involved in or witness a head-on crash, call 911 immediately and stay clear of traffic while waiting for help. Do not move anyone with a suspected neck or back injury unless there's an immediate danger like fire.
Anyone involved should be evaluated by a medical professional even if they feel uninjured at the scene, since some injuries from a head-on impact don't show symptoms right away. Keep a record of who responded, get a copy of the police report once it's available, and follow up with your insurer promptly.
For families who've lost someone in a crash like this, it helps to know that state police and county officials will keep working the case even after the initial reports fade from the news. A final report, once complete, becomes part of the public record.
