CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. — Traffic crews shut down Highway 199 south of Cave Junction on Friday morning following a head-on crash that killed two drivers.
The Oregon Department of Transportation said shortly before 7:45 a.m. that it had closed down the highway at milepost 30, about one mile south of Cave Junction, due to a two vehicle head-on crash. A detour was put into place for traffic.
ODOT said to expect an "extended closure" while Oregon State Police responded to investigate. OSP later confirmed that there was at least one fatality in the crash.
Just before 11:30 a.m. on Friday, ODOT said that the highway had been reopened and the detour lifted.
According to Illinois Valley Fire, emergency crews responded just before 6 p.m. to the crash site. The agency said that there were two fatalities.
"Our condolences go out to the families," IVFD said in a post.
Oregon State Police released a statement on the preliminary investigation and identifying the two victims. According to the agency, 63-year-old Donald Uhler was driving in a GMC Sierra southbound on Highway 199 when he veered into the northbound lane "for unknown reasons."
Uhler struck a Dodge Ram driven by 65-year-old Gary Zahniser of Janesville, California. Both men died in the crash, Oregon State Police said.
