Two men were killed and another received minor injuries Wednesday afternoon after the driver of a pickup lost control on snow and ice-covered Highway 140W west of Klamath Falls and slid broadslide into an oncoming vehicle, troopers reported.
Wallace Homer Hamlet, 82, of Central Point was traveling east on the highway near milepost 66 about three miles west of Klamath Falls, when about 12:20 p.m. he lost control of his 1991 Nissan pickup. According to Oregon State Police (OSP) Sgt. Robert Fenner, the pickup slid into the two oncoming lanes and crashed into an oncoming Jeep.
The driver and passenger of this Nissan pickup both died after it lost control on the ice and snow-covered highway Wednesday and crashed into an oncoming Jeep - OSP photo
The 1988 Jeep Cherokee, driven by 79-year old Jack Daryel Hendrickson of Klamath Falls, impacted with the pickup’s passenger side.
The pickup’s passenger, Ronald Richard Dill, 64, of Klamath Falls, was seated near the area of impact and was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.
Hamlet was transported by ambulance to Sky Lakes Medical Center (SLMC) with reportedly critical injuries, but later died.
Hendrickson received minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to SLMC, OSP reported.
OSP is continuing the investigation, and estimated that the pickup was traveling 35-40 mph when the accident occurred.