June 6, 2025 9:20 a.m.

Covering coastal Douglas County:

An animal was injured in an elk versus ambulance collision early Thursday.

An Oregon State Police report said at 1:30 a.m. a trooper responded to Highway 38 about three miles east of Reedsport. A westbound ambulance, without a patient, was returning to Reedsport when an elk from the refuge was in the middle of the roadway. The ambulance was unable to avoid hitting it. The elk was injured but went back into the refuge area. The ambulance sustained damage but was able to make the drive back to Lower Umpqua Hospital.