As reported on August 16th, the Illinois Valley Fire District as well as Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Oregon State Police were dispatched to reports of a single vehicle crash on Hwy. 199 near Selma just before 1:00pm that Monday afternoon.
First arriving emergency personnel reported a vehicle had crashed through a guardrail, coming to rest down a ravine and into the creek below, closing Hwy. 199 for over one and half hours.
Information released Monday, August 22nd, by the Oregon State Police regarding the subsequent investigation into the crash scene, revealed that multiple reports had been received just prior to the collision identifying the southbound Chevrolet Silverado, operated by 52 year old Richard Gardea of Stockton, California, as having been driving recklessly before leaving the roadway, impacting the guardrail and rolling over several times and coming to rest in the ravine and creek below.
Gardea was ejected from the vehicle, suffering extensive injuries during the crash, and was transported by ambulance to Illinois Valley Fire District Station 2 before being transferred to Mercy Flights and transported to Rogue Regional Hospital with serious injuries.
On Monday, August 22nd, Richard Gardea died as a result of those injuries.
