Executive Summary
- Fatal Incident: A collision at East 22nd Avenue and Patterson Street in Eugene resulted in the death of a suspected University of Oregon student.
- Witness Accounts: Bystanders reported the vehicle appeared to be traveling at 45 mph in a posted 20 mph zone.
- Police Response: The driver remained at the scene, and the Eugene Police Department’s Crash Investigation Team has launched a full inquiry.
- Scene Evidence: A significantly damaged bicycle was recovered at the site, indicating the nature of the impact.
EUGENE, Ore. — A fatal collision in south Eugene claimed the life of an individual believed to be a University of Oregon student on Sunday afternoon, prompting an investigation into witness allegations that the involved vehicle was traveling significantly above the speed limit.
According to the Eugene Police Department (EPD), officers responded to the intersection of East 22nd Avenue and Patterson Street, near the Spencer View Apartments, at approximately 12:39 p.m. following reports of a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian. While initial police statements referred to a pedestrian, report details noted that a bicycle with significant damage was discovered at the scene, with its wheels damaged and seat detached.
Sgt. Kyle Williams of the Eugene Police Department confirmed the fatality at the scene. “We just had a vehicle pedestrian crash… pedestrian is deceased,” Williams stated. “The driver stayed on scene, and our crash team is on the way to complete a thorough investigation.”
Witnesses present at the time of the incident provided accounts to law enforcement suggesting speed may have been a factor. One witness told authorities that the vehicle appeared to be traveling at least 45 miles per hour on a street designated with a 20 mile per hour speed limit.
The area surrounding the crash site remained closed for an extended period to allow the EPD Crash Investigation Team to document the scene and reconstruct the events leading to the collision.
Investigative Outlook
The focus of the ongoing inquiry will likely center on corroborating witness estimates of speed with physical evidence. Crash reconstruction experts typically utilize skid mark analysis, impact deformation, and data extracted from the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) to scientifically determine the velocity at the time of impact. Given the discrepancy between the posted 20 mph limit and the witness estimates of 45 mph, these technical findings will be pivotal in determining whether criminal negligence or traffic infractions played a role in this fatality. Authorities have not yet indicated if charges will be filed, pending the conclusion of the technical investigation.
