Fatal Crash - Highway 126 - Crook County - 01/29/26

Updated: Correct "hospital" to "highway".

Crook County, Ore. (Jan. 29, 2026)- On Wedenesday, January 28, 2026, at 9:04 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 126, near milepost 7, in Crook County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a westbound Jeep Cherokee, operated by Aspen Cheyenne Hadley (25) of Bend, crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and struck an eastbound Freightliner box truck, operated by Leah Lynn Laforest (35) of Redmond, head-on. 

The operator of the Jeep (Hadley) was declared deceased at the scene.

The operator of the Freightliner (Laforest) suffered reported serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

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

OSP was assisted by the Crook County Sheriff's Office.

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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.