September 3, 2026 9:20 a.m. 

Covering coastal Douglas County:

Two people died in a pickup versus dump truck crash on Tuesday afternoon.

An Oregon State Police report released on Thursday, said at approximately 2:50 p.m. troopers responded to the wreck on Highway 38 near milepost 27 in the Scottsburg area.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a pickup operated by 65-year-old Gail Elizabeth Smith of Coburg was traveling eastbound on Highway 38 when, for unknown reasons, it crossed the center line and entered the westbound lanes. The pickup collided head-on with a westbound Douglas County Public Works dump truck, operated by 25-year-old Cody James Miller of Winchester Bay.

Both Smith and Miller were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Highway 38 was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by Elkton Rural Fire Protection District, North Douglas County Fire & EMS, Scottsburg Rural Fire District, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation.