The crash occurred on Highway 154 at approximately 8:43 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, when troopers were dispatched to the scene near milepost 6
Yamhill County, OR – One person was killed and at least one other was involved in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 154 near milepost 6 Tuesday morning, according to Oregon State Police.
The crash occurred on Highway 154 at approximately 8:43 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, when troopers were dispatched to the scene near milepost 6.
Investigators said a Kia Spectra was traveling southbound on Highway 154, when for some reason, it crossed the centerline collided with a northbound International commercial motor vehicle and trailer.
The driver of the Kia, identified as Marcel Israel Benavides, a 35-year-old resident of Dayton, suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the commercial motor vehicle, identified as Jose Armando Perez Torres, 26, of Salem, was not injured in the incident.
No arrests were made in connection with the collision.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation; investigators noted the Kia crossed the centerline, resulting in a head-on impact with the northbound commercial truck.
Responders from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, Dayton Fire and Rescue, Lafayette Fire and Rescue, McMinnville Fire District, and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted Oregon State Police at the scene.
Highway 154 was impacted for approximately four hours while law enforcement and emergency crews conducted an on-scene investigation and cleared the roadway.
The incident remains under investigation as authorities work to determine contributing factors in the collision.
Oregon Traffic Crash Statistics
In recent years, Oregon has continued to see a high number of traffic fatalities and serious injury crashes statewide. According to preliminary data from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), there were an estimated 539 traffic deaths on Oregon roads in 2024, down from 587 in 2023 and 603 in 2022, though figures remain subject to final reporting. Official figures show that while fatality rates have seen slight decreases, the overall number of serious injuries from crashes continues to rise across the state’s transportation system.
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