Local News

A Jackson County man was killed last weekend when he was ejected from a vehicle that crashed on West Diamond Lake Highway.

The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle accident on Highway 230 near milepost 10 in Douglas County on Sunday at 8 a.m..

State troopers said the preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Ford F-150 pickup driven by 24-year-old Jason Michael Ettenberger of Portland went off the shoulder of the highway on a left-hand turn. The driver overcorrected back across the highway before rolling the truck several times down an embankment where it came to rest on its passenger side. The passenger in the vehicle was ejected.

According to OSP, the passenger -- 31-year-old Austin Cordell Belford of Eagle Point -- was declared deceased at the scene. He did not appear to have worn a seatbelt during the crash.

Ettenberger sustained injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

Highway 230 was impacted for approximately 4-1/2 hours during the on-scene investigation. Speed and occupant safety are considered the primary causes of the fatal crash.

OSP was assisted by Diamond Lake Resort First Responders, Umpqua Valley Ambulance and the Oregon Department of Transportation.