August 19, 2026 2:40 p.m. 

An Independence, Oregon man died in a freeway crash on Interstate 5 late Monday evening.

An Oregon State Police report released Wednesday afternoon said just after 11:45 p.m. troopers responded to the single-vehicle accident on Interstate 5 near milepost 138 in the Oakland area.

A preliminary investigation indicated that a vehicle operated by 80-year-old Carl Leslie Earhart was traveling northbound on the freeway when it left the roadway for unknown reasons. The vehicle struck a group of trees, rolled over and caught fire.

Earhart was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The freeway was not impacted during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Sutherlin Police Department, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue and the Oregon Department of Transportation.