Fatal Traffic Crash Involving Multiple Vehicles on Highway 97 south of Klamath Falls

Oregon State Gov, Nov 15, 2007

An early Monday morning multi-vehicle fatal traffic crash that also injured several people during limited visibility conditions on Highway 97 about six miles north of the Oregon / California border remains under investigation by Oregon State Police. Four separate crash scenes in about a two mile stretch in both southbound and northbound lanes involving at least 18 vehicles have been confirmed, and a Klamath Falls-area man was identified as the victim.
 
On November 5, 2007 at approximately 7:20 a.m. numerous traffic crashes were reported to Klamath County 911 Center in both directions on Highway 97 between milepost 283 and 285. Personnel from the following agencies responded to assist during the major incident that closed the highway in both directions:

• Klamath County Fire District No. 1


• Keno Rural Fire Protection District


• Oregon State Police


• Klamath County Sheriff's Office


• California Highway Patrol


• Mercy Flights (responded but did not transport)


• Klamath County Dive Rescue


• ODOT

The ongoing preliminary Oregon State Police (OSP) investigation identified four separate traffic crashes involving 18 known vehicles, and it is believed there may have been 10 – 12 other vehicles involved in minor crashes that were able to drive from the scene. One person was killed and possibly eight others received non-life threatening injuries. Information indicated that conditions at the time involved significant limited visibility including heavy fog.
 
The fatal traffic crash happened when a northbound commercial truck driven by Edwin Mueller, age 64, from Stonyferd, California, clipped a stopped southbound commercial truck and then stopped in the northbound lane. A northbound truck pulling an unloaded log pole trailer driven by Douglas Shellito, age 46, from Klamath Falls, crashed into the back of the stopped northbound trailer. Two northbound passenger vehicles then crashed into and behind the unloaded pole trailer.
 
Shellito was pronounced deceased at the scene. Mueller was not injured.

For more information regarding this article please visit Oregon.gov.