*UPDATE* Fatal Crash - Highway 31 - Klamath Falls - 01/05/26

UPDATE: News release updated to reflect the passenger of Dodge, Randy Laverne Samples of Bend, was declared deceased at the scene. The vehicle operator, Roland Lea Buckman, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. 

Klamath County, Ore. (Jan. 5, 2026)- On Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 10:07 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 31, near milepost 12, in Klamath County. 

The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Dodge Ram 1500, Roland Lea Buckman (56) of Bend, passed another vehicle in a passing lane before losing control and sliding off the roadway. The Dodge's driver's side tires caught in the ditch and the vehicle rolled before going airborne and coming to rest in a tree.

A passenger in the Dodge, Randy Laverne Samples (62) of Bend, was declared deceased at the scene.

The operator of the Dodge (Buckman) suffered serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation. Roadway conditions and speed are considered primary factors in the crash.

OSP was assisted by ODOT.

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About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.