Klamath County, OR. — A 61-year-old Idaho man was killed Friday evening in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97 near milepost 228, according to Oregon State Police.
Troopers responded at approximately 6:20 p.m. on January 9, 2026, to a collision involving a Ford F-450 pickup and a Freightliner commercial motor vehicle with a trailer. Investigators said the Ford F-450, driven by Douglas Alan Fordyce of Caldwell, Idaho, was stopped westbound on Silver Lake Road at its intersection with Highway 97 when it attempted to enter the highway.
As the pickup entered the roadway, it was struck by a southbound Freightliner operated by Sebastian Mercado Juarez, 29, of Fresno, California, resulting in a side-impact collision. Fordyce was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mercado Juarez and a passenger, Christian Mercado Juarez, 31, also of Fresno, suffered reported minor injuries.
Highway 97 was impacted for approximately two hours while the on-scene investigation was conducted. Oregon State Police were assisted by Chiloquin Fire and Rescue, Chemult Rural Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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