OSP IDs driver killed in Hwy. 97 crash near Klamath Falls

(Update: OSP identifies crash victims)

Oregon State Police on Thursday identified a driver who turned onto Highway 97 north of Klamath Falls into the path of a semi-truck and was killed Wednesday morning.

OSP troopers and first responders were dispatched around 7:40 a.m. to the reported crash near milepost 266, about eight miles north of Klamath Falls. Lt. Steve Mitchell said.

A preliminary investigation found that the driver of a gold Buick Century, Timothy Kenyon, 27, of Klamath Falls, was attempting to turn onto the highway from Algoma Road but for unknown reasons turned in front of a northbound semi-truck, whose driver, Robert Griffith, 32, of Central Point, was unable to avoid the resulting collision, Mitchell said.

Kenyon was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene, the lieutenant said. A passenger in the car, Cassandra Davis, 28, of Klamath Falls, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, while the truck driver was uninjured.

Troopers said the car was facing west at the time of impact, but investigators had not determined if the car was turning to go north or south.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Klamath County Fire District and ODOT.

The highway reopened at mid-afternoon after the on-scene investigation concluded. ODOT had a detour in place on Algoma Road during the closure.

Follow traffic updates at KTVZ’s ODOT TripCheck page.