Fatal Crash – Highway 97 – Klamath County - 09/08/26

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. (8 September 2026) – On Saturday, September 5, 2026, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 97 near milepost 200 in Klamath County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a black Honda two-door sedan, operated Elias Keyin Sorenson (21) of Eugene, was traveling northbound on Highway 97 when, for unknown reasons, it crossed into the southbound lane and collided head-on with a white Volvo semi-truck hauling a 53-foot trailer. The Volvo was operated by Jose Luis Sotelo-Monge (64) of Tulare, CA.

The operator of the Honda (Sorenson) was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

The operator of the Volvo (Sotelo-Monge) sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. 

Highway 97 was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation. 

OSP was assisted by Chemult Rural Fire Protection District, Crescent Fire District, and 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.