On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, tragedy struck on Hwy-101 in Coos County as a three-vehicle collision resulted in two fatalities and left one person with serious injuries. At approximately 7:30 P.M., the Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to the scene near milepost 249.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a southbound Subaru Outback, driven by Wayne Clinton Lannin (79) of Port Orford, and a northbound Peterbilt with a loaded chip trailer, operated by Daniel Warren Niehoff (42) of Coos Bay, sideswiped each other, causing the Subaru Outback to lose control. The Subaru Outback skidded sideways and crossed into the northbound lane, colliding with a northbound Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Connie Gene Hill (52) of Bandon.
Wayne Lannin and his passenger, Melinda Lannin (79) of Port Orford, were declared deceased at the scene.
Connie Gene Hill, the operator of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for medical attention. The Peterbilt operator, Daniel Warren Niehoff, emerged from the incident uninjured.
The crash had a significant impact on highway traffic, with the on-scene investigation lasting approximately 6 hours. Lane usage is being considered as a contributing factor to the crash, but further investigation is still underway.
During the incident response, the Oregon State Police received valuable assistance from multiple agencies, including ODOT, Green Acres Fire, Bandon Fire, Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Coquille Police Department, Coos County District Attorney’s Office, Coos County Medical Examiner, Amling-Schroeder Funeral Service, and Southern Oregon Public Safety Chaplains.
Source: OSP
