Salem, OR – Two people were killed in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning northeast of Albany, Oregon, according to the Oregon State Police (OSP).
The crash occurred at approximately 12:04 a.m. on December 22, at the intersection of Century Drive Northeast and Murder Creek Drive Northeast. Authorities said a northbound Toyota 4Runner, driven by 41-year-old Kyle Gene Lucas of Albany, left the roadway for unknown reasons. The vehicle rolled over, ejecting three of its four occupants.
OSP officials reported that Lucas and 36-year-old Justin Shaun Bottcher, also from Albany, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other occupants, who were not ejected, were transported to an area hospital with injuries. The three individuals who were ejected were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, OSP confirmed.
Authorities are considering speed as the primary factor in the crash. The roadway was closed for about two hours while OSP conducted their investigation. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
