Sherman County, OR – A Corvallis man was killed Tuesday evening in a two-vehicle crash that closed Highway 97 for several hours in northern Oregon, according to state police.
Oregon State Police reported that the crash happened around 5:35 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, near milepost 43 in Sherman County. Investigators said a northbound Chevrolet Impala, driven by Eric Neal Barton, 66, of Corvallis, allegedly crossed into the southbound lane and struck a commercial truck.
According to investigators, the Impala collided with the rear drive tires of a southbound International Harvester truck and trailer operated by Preston Deijon Shepherd, 35, of Hanford, California. Barton was pronounced dead at the scene, while Shepherd was reportedly uninjured.
The crash blocked Highway 97 for approximately four hours as crews investigated and cleared the wreckage. Oregon State Police were assisted at the scene by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused Barton’s vehicle to cross the center line.
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