Fatal Crash – Interstate 5 – Lane County - 02/19/26

LANE COUNTY, Ore. (19 February 2026) – On Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 12:56 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 167 in Lane County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a silver Honda Odyssey, operated by Leyla Ann Ayers (24) of Cottage Grove, was traveling southbound on I-5 near Cottage Grove when it left the right shoulder of the roadway for unknown reasons. The vehicle struck the roadside embankment and overturned, ejecting the driver. The vehicle came to an uncontrolled stop, partially blocking the highway.

The operator (Ayers) was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. On February 17, 2026, OSP was notified by hospital staff that Ayers had died from injuries sustained during the crash.

The highway remained open during the on-scene investigation.

Alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

OSP was assisted by South Lane Fire and Rescue, Taylor’s Towing, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

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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 documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using 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.