Umatilla County, Ore 19 Oct 24- On Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 9:15 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on Interstate 84, near milepost 178, in Umatilla County.

The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Ford F150, operated by Christopher Ralph Knowles (56) of Cherry Valley (AR), left the eastbound lanes for unknown reasons, crossed the grass median and westbound lanes before striking a bridge support. The collision caused the vehicle to become engulfed in flames.

The operator of the Ford (Knowles) was declared deceased at the scene.

The highway was impacted for approximately 3.5 hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

OSP was assisted by Umatilla County Fire District 1 and ODOT.

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Oregon State Police (OSP) is a multi-disciplined organization that protects Oregon's people, wildlife, and natural resources. OSP enforces traffic laws on the state’s roadways, investigates and solves crime, conducts postmortem examinations and forensic analysis, and provides background checks, and law enforcement data. The agency regulates gaming and enforces fish, wildlife, and natural resource laws. OSP is comprised of more than 1,400 staff members – including troopers, investigators, and professional staff – who provide a full range of policing and public safety services to Oregon and other law enforcement agencies throughout Oregon.