Salem-News.com Kenneth Ray Richards articles

Police Identify Victim in Ore. Highway 38 Crash into Umpqua River

Last year in Oregon, four people died in 4 separate traffic crashes during the 102-hour Fourth of July holiday period.

(REEDSPORT, Ore. ) - Oregon State Police is continuing the investigation into the cause of Wednesday afternoon's fatal crash after a sport utility vehicle went into the Umpqua River as it traveled along Highway 38 about six miles east of Reedsport in Douglas County.

According to Lieutenant Steve Mitchell, on July 2 at approximately 3:49 p.m., a 1991 Ford Explorer driven by 54-year-old Kenneth Ray Richards, from Coos Bay, was traveling westbound on Highway 38 near milepost 6. For an unknown reason, it traveled off the highway into the Umpqua River where it became submerged.