An 18-year-old woman from Bend who died in a Sunday evening wreck that closed most of Interstate 5 near Rogue River was a Southern Oregon University student.
Kasey Murphy was returning to SOU after the Thanksgiving holiday when she lost control of her Subaru Outback wagon at about 6 p.m. just south of Rogue River.
The vehicle crossed the median and flew into the air, tumbling into the northbound lanes. It smashed into a northbound Ford Taurus and then into a Peterbilt truck loaded with grocery goods before coming to rest in the middle of the northbound lanes.
The truck also crashed through the median, halting in southbound lanes.
"Students, faculty and administrators are deeply saddened by the loss of Kasey Murphy," said Jonathan Eldridge, SOU vice president of student affairs in a statement Monday. "A loss like this is felt keenly by all who knew and interacted with Kasey in our tight-knit university community."
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Students, faculty and staff, however, can seek counseling and gather to remember Murphy at an event at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Access Center on the lower level of the Stevenson Union, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., in Ashland.
Counseling was available Monday as well.
Oregon State Police are continuing to investigate why Murphy lost control of the car.
The driver of the Taurus, Gary Madden, 45, of Roseburg, and the driver of the truck, David Kumar, 30, of Woodland, Calif., both suffered minor injuries. Kumar was transported to Providence Medford Medical Center. Madden did not seek treatment.
The accident closed all of Interstate 5 except one southbound lane, slowing traffic through the area for several hours.
Police said Murphy was using a safety belt and that an airbag in the car deployed in the wreck.
They asked anyone with information about the wreck to call the OSP at (800) 442-2068.
Reach reporter Paris Achen at 541-776-4459 or pachen@mailtribune.com.
