Driver Killed After Vehicle Strikes Elk on Highway 234 Near Eagle Point

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A Grants Pass man was killed and his passenger seriously injured early Saturday morning after their vehicle struck an elk on Highway 234 near Eagle Point, according to the Oregon State Police.

Troopers responded to the crash at approximately 4:42 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, near the intersection of Highway 234 and Antioch Road.

A preliminary investigation determined that a white Kia Spectra, driven by Hilver Randolfo Perez Interiano, 51, of Grants Pass, was traveling eastbound when it collided with a large cow elk that was standing in the roadway. Following the impact, the vehicle continued eastbound before leaving the roadway and crashing into a tree located on the westbound shoulder.

Perez Interiano was pronounced dead at the scene.

The passenger, Eyda Ortiz Perez, 42, of Grants Pass, suffered serious injuries and was transported by Mercy Flights to a local hospital for treatment.

Highway 234 was closed for approximately four hours while investigators processed the crash scene and crews worked to clear the roadway.

The Oregon State Police were assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy Flights, and the Oregon Department of Transportation during the response and investigation.