Curtis Gammond Obituary, Accident Death, Log Truck Drivers Killed in Highway 204 Crash After Deer-Evasion Maneuver
PORTLAND, Ore.— Two log truck drivers died Monday morning in a crash on Highway 204 in Union County after one driver swerved to avoid a deer, Oregon State Police said.
The crash happened shortly before 6 a.m. near milepost 36.5. According to the preliminary investigation, 55-year-old Scott Charles Caldwell was driving an unloaded log truck westbound when he veered into the opposite lane to avoid a deer in the roadway.
Caldwell then tried to steer back into the westbound lane, but his truck tipped onto its side, police said. The empty truck came to rest across the roadway.
A fully loaded log truck driven by 54-year-old Curtis William Gammond then struck Caldwell’s truck and caught fire, according to state police.
Both Caldwell and Gammond died at the scene. Authorities did not provide further details about the crash or the deer.
Oregon State Police closed Highway 204 for approximately seven hours while investigators examined the scene.