DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. — A two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near Canyonville Monday afternoon left one person dead and three others injured, according to the Oregon State Police.
Troopers responded to the crash around 3 p.m. on April 6, 2026, near milepost 90 on northbound I-5. A preliminary investigation found that a white Freightliner commercial truck hauling a loaded trailer had stalled on an uphill grade in the outside lane.
Authorities say the truck, driven by 61-year-old Brenden Larry Christensen of San Diego, had reportedly stalled multiple times while climbing the grade before being struck by a maroon Honda CR-V traveling northbound.
The impact caused both the Honda and cargo in the Freightliner to catch fire.
The driver of the Honda, 18-year-old Davin Jack Smith of El Sobrante, California, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three passengers in the Honda were injured. Lawrence Wayne Smith Jr., 60, and Annika Jace Smith, 18, both of El Sobrante, were airlifted to area hospitals with serious injuries. Another passenger, 19-year-old Ivan Amadeo Gonzalez of Hercules, California, was taken by ground ambulance with minor injuries.
Investigators said the driver and two of the passengers are a father and his twin children. Gonzalez is described as a family friend.
Christensen was not injured in the crash. Police believe impairment was a contributing factor and arrested him on charges of DUII and manslaughter.
The crash closed or impacted the highway for approximately three hours as crews investigated and cleared the scene.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Canyonville Fire Department, Glendale Valley Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
