DOUGLAS COUNTY, OR – On Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at 1:22 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy. 42 near milepost 75 in Douglas County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a Freightliner tanker truck was pulling into the center turn lane to merge onto HWY 42 to travel eastbound. A Jeep Liberty, operated by Bronwyn Gnagy,19 of Winston, was traveling eastbound and abruptly stopped in the left lane as the tanker merged into the center turn lane. A bunked Mack log truck, operated by Christopher P. Morgan, 28 of Roseburg, was traveling behind the Jeep Liberty.
The log truck operator braked; however, was unable to stop in time and struck the Jeep Liberty from behind. The Jeep Liberty sustained heavy rear end damage. Two passengers in the Jeep Liberty, Tabitha M. Romans, 31 of Cottage Grove and Brandon Gobershock, 20 of Winston, were both pronounced deceased at the scene. The operator of the Jeep Liberty (Gnagy) was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The operator of the Mack truck (Morgan) was not injured. The highway was impacted for approximately five hours. OSP was assisted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Fire District 2, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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About the Oregon State PoliceOregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that is charged with protecting the people, wildlife, and natural resources in Oregon. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.
