Redmond man dies in Hwy. 97 crash near Culver
A 36-year-old Redmond man was killed and a Salem man injured Wednesday morning when their station wagon crashed into the end of a guardrail on Highway 97 near Culver, Oregon State Police said.
A 1997 Subaru station wagon driven by Robert G. Topliff was heading south around 10:15 a.m. when for unknown reasons, it drifted out of its lane and struck the end of a guardrail, said OSP Lt. Bill Fugate.
Topliff died at the scene, Fugate said. Passenger Allen Toler, 29, of Salem, was taken to St. Charles Madras for treatment of minor injuries.
“Fatigue is being investigated as the primary contributing factor” in the crash, the lieutenant said, adding that the investigation was continuing.
OSP was assisted at the scene by Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Jefferson County EMS medics, troopers said.
