Teen Arrested After Crash Killed Passenger, Sparked 15,000-Acre East Evans Creek Fire
JCSO says speed was the primary factor in the July rollover that hit a power pole, killed an 18-year-old passenger, and ignited the massive wildfire.
ARREST DETAILS
Arrested
17-year-old male
Incident
JCSO says the teen was driving at high speed when his truck crashed on East Evans Creek Road, killing his passenger and sparking the East Evans Creek Fire.
Charges
- Criminally Negligent Homicide
- Reckless Driving
- Criminal Mischief II
ROGUE RIVER, Ore. — A 17-year-old driver has been arrested more than two months after a rollover crash killed his passenger and sparked the East Evans Creek Fire, which went on to burn more than 15,000 acres.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrested the teen Friday, Sept. 18, following an investigation into the July 10 crash on East Evans Creek Road in rural Rogue River.
The driver, whose name is not being released because he is a juvenile, faces charges of criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, and second-degree criminal mischief. He was lodged in the Jackson County Juvenile Detention facility.
The crash happened around 2:39 p.m. July 10 in the 18,000 block of East Evans Creek Road.
JCSO investigators say the 2002 Ford Ranger had left a nearby licensed cannabis production property at a high rate of speed before the driver lost control and crashed into a power pole.
Crash Scene: An overturned Ford Ranger sits on East Evans Creek Road as firefighters and emergency crews work at the scene of the July 10 crash. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
An 18-year-old male passenger was seriously injured. He died at a local hospital eight days later, on July 18.
The sheriff’s office said the teen did not have a valid driver’s license at the time of the crash.
Investigators with the Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team spent the following weeks analyzing physical and digital evidence. JCSO said that work was completed last week and confirmed speed as the primary contributing factor in the crash.
But the collision also triggered a second emergency almost immediately.
An Oregon Department of Forestry Type 6 engine with a two-person crew happened to be patrolling nearby and reached the crash scene within about 30 seconds.
The crew began treating the crash victims while simultaneously attacking a fire that had started after the wreck. Firefighters quickly requested additional ground and air resources as flames spread into the surrounding dry vegetation.
Within minutes, nearby homes were threatened and evacuations were ordered.
The fire became the East Evans Creek Fire, ultimately growing to more than 15,000 acres and drawing a major firefighting response across the region.
JCSO’s investigation into the crash remains ongoing. The sheriff’s office said the passenger’s name will not be released at this time, and any additional information in the criminal case will come from the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
The STAR Team investigates fatal and serious-injury crashes through an interagency partnership involving JCSO, Medford Police, Ashland Police, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
East Evans Creek Fire: Smoke rises over the East Evans Creek Fire, which grew to more than 15,000 acres after investigators say it was sparked by a July 10 rollover crash near Rogue River. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
RELATED: East Evans Creek Fire Coverage
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