Murphy Man, 54, Dies in Pickup Truck Crash Near Spencer Creek Road

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. — A 54-year-old man died Monday evening, October 26, after his pickup truck left a gravel road and rolled down an embankment near Spencer Creek Road in Murphy, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency dispatchers received a report of the crash at approximately 5:07 p.m. on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Road 38-6-1.

Responders from Rural Metro Fire, American Medical Response (AMR), Oregon State Police and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find a pickup truck that had rolled down an embankment. The driver, identified as Brent Smith, had been ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the vehicle’s only occupant.

The preliminary investigation indicates Smith was traveling toward Spencer Creek on the gravel BLM road when his vehicle left the roadway and descended an embankment, striking several trees before coming to rest on its side nearly 500 feet below the road.

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Rope Team was activated to assist with the recovery of Smith’s body.

Authorities said Smith’s next of kin has been notified. The sheriff’s office extended its condolences to his family and friends and thanked the Search and Rescue Rope Team for its assistance.

No additional information will be released at this time. The incident was documented under case number 26-29466.