TOKATEE FALLS, Ore. — A man with ties to both Lakeview and Coquille died in a crash along Highway 138E in Douglas County on Wednesday, according to Oregon State Police.
Shortly before 4 p.m., OSP troopers and emergency crews responded to reports of a single-vehicle crash at milepost 54 near Tokatee Falls.

An investigation of the scene determined that 62-year-old Owen Byers had been driving a Ford F-250 pickup eastbound on Hwy 138E when he crossed into the westbound lane and onto the shoulder before smashing into a guardrail. Byers continued over the westbound shoulder, his truck rolling down an embankment before coming to rest on its side.
Byers was pronounced dead at the scene. According to OSP, he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. It's unknown at this time why he veered into the other lane.
OSP says it was assisted at the scene by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Transportation and Kokua Towing.