May 7, 2023 4:20 p.m. 

A squirrel was blamed for a two-vehicle crash on Sunday morning.

A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report said just before 8:15 a.m. a deputy was traveling north on Northeast Stephens Street near Pioneer Way. The deputy saw a pickup driven by a Roseburg man slow down rapidly as it was headed southbound. An SUV driven by a Yoncalla woman failed to slow down and hit the pickup while going about 55 miles per hour.

The deputy spoke to both drivers. The man said he slowed down to avoid hitting a squirrel. The woman said she looked down briefly to grab her drink and her vehicle ran into the first one. The second vehicle had to be towed due to damage. No citations were issued.