One Dead, Two Injured in Highway 126 Motorcycle Crash Near Florence
May 5, 2026, 10:42 a.m. PT – One person was killed and two others were injured in a motorcycle collision on Highway 126 near milepost 2.7 west of Florence on May 3, according to Oregon State Police.
The crash occurred just before 2 p.m. when a Florence woman driving a white Volvo 240 was rear-ended by a green Harley Davidson Heritage Softail motorcycle as she slowed to turn left into a mobile home park near Rose Hill Road. The motorcycle, operated by 38-year-old Brandon Taylor Oetken of Florence, was subsequently hit by a white Harley Davidson Ultra Classic, causing it to slide approximately 150 feet.
Two bystanders rendered assistance to the fallen motorcyclists. Oetken was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the white Harley sustained severe injuries and was transported to a hospital, while the Volvo driver reported pain and was taken to an area hospital for precautionary measures.
Traffic along Highway 126 experienced delays for about an hour as officials conducted an on-scene investigation, according to OSP.
Further details regarding the incident are being investigated.