OSP: Hwy. 126W driver kills self after traffic stop

A driver stopped for speeding on Hwy. 126W west of Veneta apparently shot and killed himself Sunday afternoon, Oregon State Police reported.

At the request of OSP, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, which occurred about five miles west of Veneta.

The names of the driver and trooper were being withheld until family was notified and other info was released by the sheriff’s office.

Around 1:20 p.m., an OSP sergeant stopped a car on Highway 126W near milepost 39 related to a speeding violation.

As the sergeant was getting out of the patrol car to contact the driver, the car sped forward a short distance, went into a ditch and struck a tree.

When the sergeant got up to the crashed vehicle, he saw the lone male occupant had suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He later was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other information was released pending completion of the initial investigation, which had the highway restricted.