Fatal Crash – Highway 234 – Jackson County - 08/04/26

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. (4 August 2026) – On Saturday, August 1, 2026, at approximately 4:42 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a fatal vehicle-versus-elk crash.

The preliminary investigation indicated a white Kia Spectra, operated by Hilver Randolfo Perez Interiano (51) of Grants Pass, was traveling eastbound on Highway 234 near Antioch Road near Eagle Point when it struck a large cow elk in the roadway. After striking the elk, the vehicle continued eastbound until it left the roadway and struck a tree on the westbound shoulder.

The operator of the Kia (Perez Interiano) was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Kia passenger, Eyda Ortiz Perez (42) of Grants Pass, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

The highway was closed for approximately four hours during the on‑scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy Flights, 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.