Multiple crashes in the early morning of Feb. 19 led to the death of Jose Refugio Gamboa-Lupercio, 57, of Redmond.
At 4:16 a.m. Monday morning, Oregon State Police responded to a five-vehicle crash on Hwy 97, near milepost 107.5, in Jefferson County, near Juniper Butte.
The preliminary investigation indicated two southbound commercial motor vehicles were traveling on icy roads when the trailing CMV struck the rear end of the lead CMV. The collision caused the lead CMV trailer to slide sideways into the northbound lanes. A northbound red Toyota Tacoma, operated by Felipe Gamboa-Lupercio, 55, of Terrebonne, and a white Toyota Tacoma, operated by Timothy Fuzi, 52, of Terrebonne, struck the sliding trailer. A northbound GMC Sierra, operated by James Johnson, 60, of Terrebonne, then struck the Toyota Tacoma’s as well.
The operators of the CMVs, Mark Williams, 64, of Hood River and Corey Heikkila, 41, of Portland, were reportedly not injured. The operator of the GMC Sierra, Johnson, and the operator of the white Toyota Tacoma, Fuzi, were reportedly not injured.
The operator of the red Toyota Tacoma, Felipe Gamboa-Lupercio, and the front passenger, Genaro Gamboa-Lupercio, 62, of Redmond, suffered injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
The rear passenger of the red Toyota Tacoma, Jose Refugio Gamboa-Lupercio, 57, of Redmond, was declared deceased at the scene.
The highway was impacted for approximately 5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The primary factors contributing to this crash are considered roadway conditions and speed.
OSP was assisted by Jefferson County Fire, Madras Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, and ODOT.
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