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News Release

Fatal Crash – Highway 101 – Curry County - 08/12/26

CURRY COUNTY, Ore. (12 August 2026) – On Sunday, August 9, 2026, at approximately 12:38 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 101 near milepost 352 in Curry County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated that a black Triumph motorcycle, operated by Louis Henry Vowell III (36) of Sisters, was traveling northbound on Highway 101 near the Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint at a high rate of speed when it attempted to overtake multiple vehicles in a passing lane. When the motorcycle entered the passing lane, it collided with the rear of a gray Mazda CX-5, operated by Russell Keith Moore (56) of Pulaski, Arkansas, which was turning westbound into the Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle and subsequently struck by a gray Mercedes Sprinter van, operated by Jeffrey Alan Ludwick (58) of Rogue River.

 

The Triumph operator (Vowell) was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 

The operator of the Mazda (Moore) and two adult passengers were reportedly not injured.

 

The operator of the Mercedes (Ludwick) and an adult passenger were reportedly not injured.

 

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

 

OSP was assisted by the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Ferrelo Rural Fire Department, Brookings Fire & Rescue, Cal-Ore Life Flight, 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.

Fatal Crash – Highway 101 – Curry County - 08/12/26

CURRY COUNTY, Ore. (12 August 2026) – On Sunday, August 9, 2026, at approximately 12:38 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 101 near milepost 352 in Curry County.

 

The preliminary investigation indicated that a black Triumph motorcycle, operated by Louis Henry Vowell III (36) of Sisters, was traveling northbound on Highway 101 near the Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint at a high rate of speed when it attempted to overtake multiple vehicles in a passing lane. When the motorcycle entered the passing lane, it collided with the rear of a gray Mazda CX-5, operated by Russell Keith Moore (56) of Pulaski, Arkansas, which was turning westbound into the Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle and subsequently struck by a gray Mercedes Sprinter van, operated by Jeffrey Alan Ludwick (58) of Rogue River.

 

The Triumph operator (Vowell) was pronounced deceased at the scene.

 

The operator of the Mazda (Moore) and two adult passengers were reportedly not injured.

 

The operator of the Mercedes (Ludwick) and an adult passenger were reportedly not injured.

 

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

 

OSP was assisted by the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Ferrelo Rural Fire Department, Brookings Fire & Rescue, Cal-Ore Life Flight, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
 

# # #

 

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.