July 10, 2025 4:20 a.m. 

A Roseburg man died in a single vehicle wreck early Wednesday morning.

A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report said at approximately 5:40 a.m. deputies responded along with Central Douglas Fire & Rescue to the 3100 block of Melrose Road, west of Roseburg. Undersheriff Brad O’Dell said responders found a vehicle that had gone into a tree with the driver not breathing.

O’Dell said it appears that 53-year-old Raymond Douglas Schlatter was on his way to a job site as the sole occupant of a pickup, along with his dog. Schlatter’s vehicle was apparently eastbound when it drifted off the left side of the roadway and struck a large oak tree about fifteen feet off the road just below a steep embankment. There were no skid marks or other indications of slowing the impact.

O’Dell said Schlatter was seat belted and there was airbag deployment. A medical examiner responded to the scene. There were no signs of drug or alcohol use as a factor in the crash. Next of kin was notified and the vehicle was towed.