Fatal Crash - Highway 154 - Yamhill County - 01/15/26

Yamhill County, Ore. (Jan. 15, 2026)- On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 8:43 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 154, near milepost 6, in Yamhill County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Kia Spectra, operated by Marcel Israel Benavides (35) of Dayton, crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and struck a northbound International commercial motor vehicle and trailer, operated by Jose Armando Perez Torres (26) of Salem. 

The operator of the Kia (Benavides) was declared deceased at the scene.

The operator of the International (Perez Torres) was reportedly uninjured.

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Dayton Fire and Rescue, Lafayette Fire and Rescue, McMinnville Fire District, and 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.