Oregon Crash Kills Redding Man

According to Oregon State Police Troopers (OSP), a fatal accident took place in Kent, Oregon during the morning of Saturday, November 24, 2018. The accident left a resident of Redding, California with injuries that tragically cost him his life. OSP reported that the collision occurred on a highway location and only involved a single vehicle. The man was identified by authorities as 75-year-old Leroy Despain. Officials of OSP report that they do not know why the crash happened and that possible causes are still being investigated. My sympathies are with Mr. Despain’s loved ones after they have endured the loss of their family member and friend.

Crash Information

OSP reported that the collision took place at 8:25 a.m. Despain had been driving his red, 1998 Jeep Wrangler on highway 97 close to mile marker 40, around half of a mile to the north of Kent. Despain was traveling south on the highway when his vehicle veered off of the roadway, causing it to overturn. The Jeep reportedly rolled multiple times before finally coming to a stop on the side of the highway.

Response

Responders were immediately sent to the collision site after the accident was reported to OSP dispatch. Emergency staff arriving at the scene discovered that Despain had sustained severe trauma. Sadly, medics were not able to help the man, and he was declared deceased at the scene. No other people had been in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Investigation

As the investigation continues, officers have not released any information about what factors are suspected to have been involved in the collision. A collision like this one can be caused by a variety of factors including medical emergencies, phantom vehicles, dangerous roadways, defective or malfunctioning vehicle parts, and more.

Phantom Vehicles

When a reckless driver causes an accident, that driver can usually be held responsible for paying injured parties or their families for damages. However, in many cases, there is no negligent driver to hold accountable. This may be because the crash was caused by a factor out of drivers’ control. In other cases, the reckless driver can’t be found.

Often, a vehicle will cause another car to crash without even touching it. This can happen when drivers fail to signal lane changes and crowd others off of the road, one vehicle is tailgating another, or when a motorist fails to stop for a sign or signal. These cases are often called “phantom vehicle accidents.” When this happens, it can be difficult to find the missing motorist. However, people can often claim payment for their damages through their own insurance policy. This is done through “uninsured/uninsured motorist coverage.” This type of coverage is optional, and the amount that can be paid out differs from policy to policy.

More by Ed Smith, Redding Wrongful Death Lawyer

Redding Wrongful Death Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Redding wrongful death lawyer. Collisions can be deadly. If you’ve suffered the death of a person in your life after a crash, please contact me at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 so I can give you free, friendly advice.

I have been helping the residents of Redding claim fair wrongful death and personal injury payments since 1982. Read about my work by checking out my verdicts and settlements and viewing my client reviews on these sites:

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Oregon Crash Kills Redding Man: Ed Smith

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Oregon Crash Kills Redding Man