I-84 Fatal, Umatilla Co.

UMATILLA COUNTY, Ore. (13 August 2026) – On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at approximately 2:15 p.m., Oregon State Police came upon a single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 395 and Interstate 84 in Umatilla County. The preliminary investigation indicated a Honda CRV, operated by Jeffrey Downer McGowan (51) of Woodinville, Washington, was traveling eastbound on Interstate 84 near Pendleton when the vehicle left the freeway for an unknown reason. The vehicle entered the median, became airborne, and landed in the center of Hwy. 395, where it caught fire and became engulfed in flames. Responding troopers were able to extricate the driver from the vehicle. The passenger in the Honda, Riley Finnegan McGowan (21) of Woodinville, Washington, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the Honda (Jeffrey McGowan) was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. Highway 395 was impacted for approximately two hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Pendleton Police Department, Pendleton Fire & Ambulance, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

I-84 Fatal, Gilliam Co.

GILLIAM COUNTY, Ore. (13 August 2026) – On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at approximately 2:43 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 84 near milepost 123 in Gilliam County. The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound red Land Rover LR4 hauling an Airstream trailer, operated by James Thomas Raugust (77) of Ocean Shores, Washington, had pulled onto the right shoulder of the interstate with a flat tire. An Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) white Ford F550 maintenance truck, operated by Roger Vincent Birkeland of Arlington, had stopped to assist the disabled vehicle. The ODOT vehicle was parked behind the disabled vehicle blocking the right lane of travel with a large electronic reader board alerting oncoming traffic to move over. A westbound white Toyota Highlander, operated by Burke Lloyd Oneal (48) of Vancouver, Washington, struck the rear of the ODOT truck, lost control, and struck Raugust and Birkeland as they changed the flat tire. The operator of the Land Rover (Raugust) was pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the ODOT maintenance truck (Birkeland) was transported by Life Flight to an area hospital with serious injuries. A passenger in the Land Rover, Melodie Marie Raugust (80) of Ocean Shores, Washington, had reported minor injuries. The operator of the Toyota (Oneal) had reported minor injuries. The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation. The crash remains under investigation. OSP was assisted by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department, Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.