April 5, 2023 9:20 a.m. 

A fatal accident claimed the life of an Oakland man Monday morning.

An Oregon State Police report said at about 7:40 a.m. troopers responded to a single-vehicle wreck on Highway 38, about 4 miles east of Scottsburg.

A preliminary investigation indicated that a westbound mini-van operated by 66-year old Kevin Obrien of Oakland drifted off the roadway onto the westbound shoulder of the highway and into the adjacent ditch. The vehicle continued westbound, striking the earth surrounding a culvert of an intersecting driveway.

The report said scene evidence and witness statements indicate that the vehicle became airborne and began to roll down the shoulder and slow lane, before coming to a final uncontrolled rest on the westbound shoulder.

The driver was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and was located a short distance west of the vehicle’s final resting position. Obrien was declared deceased at the scene.

The roadway remained clear during the investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation. OSP was assisted by several other agencies.