On Saturday, September 2, first responders were dispatched to a reported head-on collision between a Toyota Corolla and a Harley Davidson motorcycle on OR230 in Jackson County. The Oregon State Police responded to the scene at approximately 3:10 P.M.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a Toyota Corolla, operated by Thomas B. Austen, a 70-year-old resident of Auckland, New Zealand, crossed into the opposing lane of travel and collided head-on with a Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by Richard L. Silverman, a 66-year-old from Portland.
The operator of the Harley Davidson, was declared deceased, after a lengthy on-scene attempt to save his life.
Both the operator of the Toyota, Mr. Thomas Austen, and his passenger, Victoria M. Austen, 68 years old and also from Auckland, New Zealand, suffered minor injuries. They were transported to a Medford area hospital for medical treatment.
The accident caused a significant disruption to highway traffic for approximately 7 hours as authorities conducted their on-scene investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
The Oregon State Police received assistance from various agencies, including the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Prospect Fire & Rescue, Mercy Flights, and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Source: OSP
