Motorcyclist Seriously Injured after Going over Embankment in the Merlin Area
A motorcyclist was seriously injured when he went off an embankment while trying to avoid a deer in the Merlin area late yesterday.
Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police were all dispatched to the single-vehicle crash on Galice Road just west of Azalea Drive on Sunday at 5:27 p.m..
Rescue crews from Rural Metro and AMR found the rider about 15 feet over an embankment, suffering from serious injuries. A rope system was set up to extract the patient who was then transported by ambulance to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford where the trauma system was activated.
OSP identified the motorcyclist as 35-year-old Travis Anthony Gendreau of Shingletown, California. There was no word on his current condition.
Rural Metro officials said one notable recommendation that came from this incident is that wearing a helmet with facial protection is preferred over the skull-cap style helmet.
Posted on 6/23/25 6:28AM by Sam Marsh
