MYRTLE POINT, Ore. (Sep. 21, 2026) — Three people, including a 4-month-old infant, were killed Saturday in a head-on collision on Highway 42 in Myrtle Point after a driver fleeing from a police officer lost control of his vehicle, according to Oregon State Police.
The crash occurred at approximately 4:46 p.m. Sept. 19 near milepost 21 on Highway 42, within the Myrtle Point city limits.
According to the preliminary investigation, a Myrtle Point Police Department officer was attempting to contact Gregory Paul Olson, 69, of Myrtle Point, after Olson allegedly attempted to leave a local business several hours earlier without paying for merchandise.
Olson fled from the officer in a silver Land Rover LR3 and traveled eastbound on Highway 42 at a high rate of speed, state police said.
Olson subsequently lost control of the Land Rover, crossed the center line and collided head-on with a westbound blue Subaru Forester operated by James Edward Price, 32, of Myrtle Point. The Subaru was towing a jet ski at the time of the crash.
Price was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger in the Subaru, Genevieve Marie Huffaker, 20, of Coquille, was transported to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
A 4-month-old female infant also was transported to a Portland-area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Olson suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalized at a local hospital, according to state police.
The Oregon State Police investigation remains ongoing.
The investigation is being conducted with assistance from the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit, a specialized team responsible for investigating fatal and critical-injury crashes on Oregon highways.
The unit provides expertise in documenting, investigating and analyzing complex vehicle collisions and crime scenes. Its personnel receive specialized training in advanced measuring techniques and the use of small unmanned aircraft systems for on-scene investigations.
The unit includes collision reconstructionists accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction and technical collision investigators deployed throughout Oregon.
All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Discover more from Medford Alert News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
