Two Dead After Single-Vehicle Crash on Southern Oregon Highway

Klamath County, Oregon– On Monday, August 26, 2024, at 11:33 a.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a fatal single-vehicle crash on Highway 39 near milepost 16 in Klamath County.

The incident involved a northbound Chrysler Town and Country, operated by Sharon Mae Young, 75, of Alturas, California. According to the preliminary investigation, the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, traveled through a fence, and collided with a tree. Young was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers, Helen Loretta Plumlee, 51, and Jeffrey Paul Phillips, 66, both of Alturas, California, were also in the vehicle. Plumlee was later pronounced dead at a medical center after being transported for injuries. Phillips sustained injuries and was also taken to an area medical facility for treatment. Their condition is unknown at this time.

The highway was closed for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation. The primary cause of the crash is believed to be a possible medical event affecting the vehicle’s operator.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Merrill Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The investigation remains ongoing.