KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. (Sep. 8, 2026) — A 21-year-old Eugene man was killed Saturday night in a head-on collision with a semi-truck on Highway 97 in Klamath County, Oregon State Police said.
The crash was reported at about 8:50 p.m. Sept. 5 near milepost 200.
According to the preliminary investigation, Elias Keyin Sorenson, 21, of Eugene, was driving a black Honda two-door sedan northbound on Highway 97 when the vehicle crossed into the southbound lane for unknown reasons. The Honda then collided head-on with a white Volvo semi-truck hauling a 53-foot trailer.
Sorenson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi-truck was operated by Jose Luis Sotelo-Monge, 64, of Tulare, California. Sotelo-Monge sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Highway 97 was affected for approximately five hours while authorities investigated the crash and cleared the scene.
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating the crash. OSP was assisted by the Chemult Rural Fire Protection District, Crescent Fire District and Oregon Department of Transportation.
The Collision Reconstruction Unit is a specialized Oregon State Police team responsible for investigating fatal and critical-injury crashes on Oregon highways. Unit members are trained in advanced crash-scene documentation and analysis, including specialized measuring techniques and the use of small unmanned aircraft systems.
The unit includes collision reconstructionists accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction and technical collision investigators who are deployed throughout Oregon.
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